Vacant Chair, The

artist:Kathy Mattea

, writer: Henry S. Washburn, George F. Root

Chords:

 {t:Vacant Chair, The}
{artist:Kathy Mattea}
{key: A}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXtjE9KaMYI 
{c: Based on rhondamc22 version via Ultimate Guitar}
[A]    [E7]  [A]  
[A] We shall meet but we shall miss him, 
there will [D] be one vacant [A] chair; 
[A] we shall linger to caress him,
[A] While we [B7] breathe our ev'ning [E7] pray'r  
{c: }                                
When a [A] year ago we gathered, 
joy was [D] in his mild blue [A] eyes,
[A] But a golden chord is severed, 
And our hopes in [E7] ruin  [A] lie.

[A] We shall [D] meet but we shall [A] miss him, 
[A] there will be one vacant [E7] chair,
[E7] We shall [A] linger to ca-[D]ress him, 
while we [A] breathe our [E7] ev'ning [A] pray'r. 

[A]     [D]       [E7]     [A]  
[A] At our fireside, sad and lonely,
often [D] will the bosom [A] swell  
[A] at remembrance of the story,
How our [B7] noble Willie [E7] fell;
 
How [E7] he [A] strove to bear our banner 
through the [D] thickest of the [A] fight,
[A] And uphold our country's honor, 
in the strength of [E7] manhood's [A] night.

[A] We shall [D] meet but we shall [A] miss him, 
there will be one vacant [E7] chair,
[E7] We shall [A] linger to ca-[D]ress him, 
while we [A] breathe our [E7] ev'ning [A] pray'r. 

[A] True, they tell us wreaths of glory 
ever [D] more will deck his [A] brow,
but this soothes the [A] anguish only,
Sweeping [B7] o'er our heartstrings [E7] now. 

Sleep to-[A] day, oh early fallen,           
in thy [D] green and narrow [A] bed,
[A] Dirges from the pine and cypress 
mingle with the [E7] tears we [A] shed.

[A] We shall [D] meet but we shall [A] miss him, 
[A] there will be one vacant [E7] chair,
[E7] We shall [A] linger to ca-[D]ress him, 
while we [A] breathe [E7] our ev'ning [A] pray'r.

Song Info

Title: Vacant Chair, The

Artist: Kathy Mattea

Writer:  Henry S. Washburn, George F. Root

Song Types: Country, Folk, Pop

Key: A

Info: John William Grout (July 25, 1843 �" October 21, 1861) was an American Civil War soldier from Worcester, Massachusetts, whose death inspired the poem "The Vacant Chair".

he son of Jonathan and Mary Jane Grout, John William Grout was born July 25, 1843, at Worcester, Massachusetts. He was a graduate of Phillips Academy, Andover in 1859.

He served as a 2nd lieutenant of Company D, 15th Massachusetts Infantry and was killed at age eighteen at the Battle of Ball's Bluff. Lt. Grout's body was recovered on November 5, 1861, after being washed 35 miles back to Washington, D.C. His remains were identified by the name written on his clothing.

His death inspired a famous poem that was later turned into a Civil War song. The poem ("The Vacant Chair") is an allegory that describes the pain suffered by the family of those killed in war when sitting at the Thanksgiving table. The poem was written by Henry S. Washburn and was turned into song by George F. Root. Root wrote "The Battle Cry of Freedom", "Tramp! Tramp! Tramp!" and other songs of the Civil War. "The Vacant Chair" was a hit in both the North and the South.

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Vacant Chair, The

artist:Kathy Mattea

, writer: Henry S. Washburn, George F. Root

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Song Info

Alts - Is barre easier?

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