Em                    D
In the shadows of the smokestacks
Em                     D
Through the black snow that lay on the land
Em              D
Walked home one winter’s morning
Em               D
My life saving’s in my hand


[Verse 2]
Em              D
Maryanne, she's fixin' up some breakfast
Em                        D
Got the lights out on the Christmas tree
Em                          D
Instead of lookin’ up at an angel
Em                  D
Was somethin’ dyin' inside of me


[Verse 3]
Em                      D
Grew up with great expectations
Em                      D
Heard the promise and I knew the plan
Em                      D
They say people get what they deserve
Em                            D
But Lord, sometimes it's much worse than that


[Verse 4]
Em              D
Maryanne, she’s takin' in some laundry
Em                       D
Got a part time job in a drive-in stand
Em            D
Oh Lord, what did I do
Em               D
To deserve these empty hands?


[Chorus]
G          D
Across the cities
G           D
Across this land
Em          D
Through the valleys
Em             D
And across the sand
C               D
Too many people standing in line
C               D
Too many people with nothing planned
C                D
There's too many people
               Em
With empty hands


[Instrumental Break]
Am  Em  C  D
Am  Em  C  D  B7


[Verse 5]
Em                  D
Now Maryanne's been cryin'
Em                         D
Lord knows, I love her the best I can
Em               D
When my pride is bruised and broken
Em                      D
She slips her hand into my empty hands


[Verse 6]
Em                    D
Without hope, without love
Em                     D
You've got nothin’ but pain
Em                   D
Just makes a man not give a damn
Em                    D
That ain’t no way for us to live
Em                     D
We've got to fill these empty hands

[Chorus]
G          D
Across the cities
G           D
Across this land
Em          D
Through the valleys
Em             D
And across the sand
C               D
Too many people standing in line
C               D
Too many people with nothing planned
C                D
There's too many people
              Em
With empty hands