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        Will The Circle Be Unbroken - The Staple Singers
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From: “Will The Circle Be Unbroken?” (1960)

"Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" is a popular Christian hymn written in 1907
by Ada R. Habershon with music by Charles H. Gabriel. The song is often
recorded unattributed and, because of its age, has lapsed into the public
domain. The Staple Singers’ version, however, uses three of the five verses
from the re-worked lyrics by A.P. Carter. On the original Staple Singers LP
the song is just credited “Arr. – R. Staples”.

Tabbed by: maguri
Tuning: Standard

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capo: 1st fret
play: G
key: Ab
For chords in original key tranpsose +1 (and "use flats")

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CHORDS
        E-A-D-G-B-e
C/E     x-x-2-0-1-0
D       x-x-0-2-3-x (= D5)

recurring lick
  G
  1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +  1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
E|----------------|----------------|
B|----0-----------|----0-------0---|
G|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
D|----0---0h2-----|----0-------0---|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|3---------------| 3---------------|

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[Intro]
| G |
(freely)

[Verse 1]
      G                    G7
I was standing by my window
       C               G
On one cold and cloudy day;
       G
When I saw the hearse come a-rolling
       C/E      D      G
For to carry my mother away

[Chorus]
         G              G7
Will the circle be unbroken
       C                G
By and by, Lord, by and by?
          G
There's a better home a-waiting
       C/E        D      G
In the sky, Lord, in the sky

[Verse 2]
        G                  G7
Lord, I told the undertaker
      C                   G
"Undertaker, please drive slow
       G
Cause this lady that you’re hauling
        C/E     D       G
Lord, I hate to see her go."

[Chorus]
         G              G7
Will the circle be unbroken
       C                G
By and by, Lord, by and by?
          G
There's a better home a-waiting
       C/E        D      G
In the sky, Lord, in the sky

[Verse 3]
       G                      G7
I will follow close behind her
       C              G
Try to hold up and be brave
      G
But I could not hide my sorrow
          C/E      D      G
When they laid her in the grave

[Chorus]
         G              G7
Will the circle be unbroken
       C                G
By and by, Lord, by and by?
          G
There's a better home a-waiting
       C/E        D      G
In the sky, Lord, in the sky
               (ritardando)