The Vacant Chair

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[Verse 1]
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We shall meet but we shall miss 
   D                       A      
him, there will be one vacant 
A                          A
chair; we shall linger to caress 
him,
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While we breathe our ev'ning 
             A                     
pray'r when a year ago we gathered,
      D                A
 joy was in his mild blue eyes,
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But a golden chord is severed, 
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And our hopes in ruin  lie.

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

Continues after the ad
[Instrumental]
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[Verse 2]
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At our fireside, sad and 
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lonely,often will the bosom swell 
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 at remembrance of the story,
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How our noble Willie fell; how he 
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strove to bear our banner through 
    D               A
the thickest of the fight,
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And uphold our country's honor, in
              E            A
 the strength of manhood's night.

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

[Verse 3]
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True, they tell us wreaths of 
       D                  A       
glory ever more will deck his 
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brow, but this soothes the anguish 
only,
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Sweeping o'er our heartstrings 
        A                          
now. sleep today, oh early fallen, 
     D               A
in thy green and narrow bed,
A                              
Dirges from the pine and cypress 
                  E         A
mingle with the tears we shed.

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