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That's How Every Empire Falls by John Prine


  That's How Every Empire Falls



Capo:no capo
 
[Intro]
F C Bb F
F C Bb F
 
F                      C
He caught a train from Alexandria
Bb                   F
Just a broken man in flight
F                           C
Running scared with all his devils
Bb                             F
Saying prayers all through the night
F                    C
But mercy can't find him
Bb                          F
Not in the shadows where he calls
F                        C
Forsaking all his better angels
Bb                      F
That's how every empire falls
 
[Instrumental]
F C Bb F
F C Bb F
 
F                            C
The bells ring out on Sunday morning
Bb                       F
Like echoes from another time
F                     C
All our innocence and yearning
Bb                       F
And sense of wonder left behind
F                 C
Oh, gentle hearts remember
Bb                           F
What was that story his they lost
F                   C
When religion loses vision
Bb                      F
That's how every empire falls
 
[Instrumental]
F C Bb F
F C Bb F
 
F                              C
He toasts his wife and all his family
Bb                           F
The providence he brought to bear
F                               C
They raise their glasses in his honor
Bb                           F
Although this union made 'em share
F                         C
Of a man that lives among them
Bb                           F
But still a stranger to them all
F                         C
For when a heart is never open
Bb                      F
That's how every empire falls
 
[Instrumental]
F C Bb F
F C Bb F
F C Bb F
F C Bb F
 
F                           C
Lock the door and board the windows
Bb                    F
Put the people in the street
F                          C
It just my job he says I'm sorry
Bb                            F
And draws the jackels home to eat
F                        C
But at night he tell his woman
Bb                       F
I know I hide behind the laws
F                            C
She says you are only taking orders
Bb                      F
That's how every empire falls
 
[Instrumental]
F C Bb F
F C Bb F
 
F                               C
A bitter wind blows through the country
Bb                       F
A hard rain falls on the sea
F                         C
If terror comes without a warning
Bb                               F
There must be something we don't see
F                      C
Well, fire begets this fire
Bb                           F
Like torches thrown into the straw
F                        C
If no one ask and no one answers
Bb                      F
That's how every empire falls
 
[Outro]
F C Bb F
F C Bb F





------------------

version 2 




Tuning:E A D G B E
Key:F
Capo:3rd fret

[Intro]
D
A G D
A G D
 
[Verse 1]
D                             A    G                    D
He caught a train from Alexandria, just a broken man in flight
D                         A     G                              D
Runnin' scared with his devils, sayin' prayers all through the night
D                 A       G                            D
But mercy can't find him, not in the shadows where he calls
D                         A      G                       D
Forsaking all his better angels: That's how every empire falls
 
A G D
A G D
 
[Verse 2]
D                            A       G                        D
The bells ring out on Sunday morning like echoes from another time
D                     A        G                        D
All our innocence and yearning and sense of wonder left behind
D                A         G                          D
Oh gentle hearts remember, What was that story? Is it lost?
D                       A       G                       D
For when religion loses vision, That's how every empire falls
 
A G D
A G D
 
[Verse 3]
D                              A       G                            D
He toasts his wife and all his family, the providence he brought to bear
D                               A     G                              D
They raise their glasses in his honor although this union they don't share
D                A         G                            D
A man who lives among them was still a stranger to them all
D                           A     G                       D
For when the heart is never open, That's how every empire falls
 
A G D
A G D
A G D
A G D
 
[Verse 4]
D                              A        G                     D
Padlock the door and board the windows, put the people in the street
D                                 A       G                               D
"It's just my job," he says, "I'm sorry," and draws a check, goes home to eat
D                     A      G                         D
At night he tells his woman, "I know I hide behind the laws"
D                             A        G                       D
She says, "You're only taking orders": That's how every empire falls
 
A G D
A G D
 
[Verse 5]
D                               A         G                       D
A bitter wind blows through the country, a hard rain falls on the sea
D                          A       G                                D
If terror comes without a warning, there must be something we don't see
D                     A     G                            D
What fire begets this fire, like torches thrown into the straw?
D                           A        G                       D
If no one asks, then no one answers: That's how every empire falls






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