Chords & lyrics

That's How Every Empire Falls Chords

Music by: John Prine
Tone F major BPM 103 Views 17
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Guitar

Lyrics & chords

[Intro 1]
[D][Asus4][D][A][D][Bm][D]
[Asus4][A][D][Bm][G]
[D]

[Verse 1]
Caught a train from Alex[A]andria[G]
[D]Just [G]a broken man in [D]flight
Running scared with his devils
[G]Saying prayers all thr[D]ough the night
Oh but mercy can't [A]find [Asus4]him
[G]Not in the shadows where he cal[D]ls
Forsaking all his better [A]angels[G]
That's how every [D]empire

[Interlude 1]
falls
[D][A][G][D][A][G][D]

[Verse 2]
The bells ring out [A]on Sunday
[G]mornng
Like echoes from another [D]time
All our innocence and [A]yearning
[G]And sense of wonder left behin[D]d[A][D]
Oh gentle hearts re[A]member
[G]What was that story? Is it los[D]t?
For when religion loses [A]vision[G]
That's how every [A]empire [D]falls.

[Interlude 2]
[A][G][D][A][G]
[D]

[Verse 3]
He toasts his wife and all his [A]family
[G]The providence he brought to bea[D]r
They raise their glasses in his [A]honor
[G]Although this union they don't sha[D]re
A man who lives [A]among them
[G]Was still a stranger to them all[D]
For when the heart is never [A]open[G]
That's how every em[D]pire falls

[Interlude 3]
[D][A][G]
[D][A][G][D][A]
[G][D][A][G][D]

[Verse 4]
Padlock the door and board [A]the
[G]windows
Put the people in [D]the street
"It's just my job,"
he says "I'm [A]sorry."
[G]And draws a check, goes home to eat[D]
But at night he tells his [A]woman
[G]"I know I hide behind the law[D]s."
She says, "You're only taking
[A]ord[G]ers."
That's how every em[D]pire
[A]falls.

[Interlude 4]
[D][A][G][D][A][G][D]

[Verse 5]
A bitter wind blows through the [A]country[D]
[G]A hard rain falls on the[D] sea
If terror comes without [A]a warning
[G]There must be something
we don't [D]see
What fire begets [A]this fire?
[G]Like torches thrown into the[D] straw
If no one asks,
then no one [A]answers[G]
That's how every em
[D]pire falls.

[Outro 1]
[D][A][G][D][A][G][D]
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103 BPM