C -- C/B -- Am -- G [2t]

v.1
Oh ^CI can't take another ^Emheartache
Tho you ^Fsay you're my friend ^GI'm at my wit's end
^CYou say your love is ^Embona-fide but that don't ^Fco-incide
With the things that you do and when I ^Cask you to ex^Fplain you ^Gsay

Chorus:
You gotta be ^Fcruel to be ^Gkind ^Emin the right ^Cmeasure
^FCruel to be ^Gkind it's a ^Emvery good ^Csign
^FCruel to be ^Gkind ^Emmeans that I ^Clove you
^FBaby you gotta be ^Gcruel to be^Ckind

v.2
Well I do my best to understand you
But you still mystify I wanna know why
I pick myself up off the ground to have you knock me back down
Again and again and when I ask you to explain [deny it] you say

Instr. Brk.

Rpt v.2

Rpt Ch ad lib to end