The Soldier And The Oak

	  		
Intro: C 

                        Em 
This is a story that began long, long ago 
Am                           F 
  I was a young oak tree in dark Missouri soil 
                            C 
And like all other saplings I had dreams of growing 
             G 
Strong and tall 
C                               Em 
  But one day a rebel with a bullet in his chest 
Am                      F 
   Hung his rifle on my limbs and laid to rest 
                            C 
And there beside me as the blood soaked to my roots 
             G 
The soldier sang  

A song of grace 

Am  C  F  C 

C                           Em 
  The heavy rifle bowed me over to the ground 
Am                              F 
 Two years I stayed this way until the rifle fell 
                          C 
And in this manner for a hundred years I grew 
        G 
All my dreams 

Not meant to be 
C                                Em 
  And then one day two men came with a cross cut saw 
Am                                 F 
  They spoke of how my arch would hold a weight so strong 
                                C 
And I feared not the blade for such a worthy cause 
          G 
And so I fell 

I gladly fell 

Am  C  F  Em  Dm  G  Am 

F                     G 
  Three winter days aboard a northbound train 
Am                        G 
  Three more beneath the hewer's careful blade 
F                          G 
  And while he worked he praised my rich red grain 
F                       G 
  Perhaps it was the soldier's blood that day 
C                               Em 
  Now I'm the wooden arch that holds a mighty bell 
Am                                   F 
  Three stocks before me cracked but I shall never fail 
                        C 
Up in a tall cathedral high above my dreams 
        G 
Of long ago 
C                               Em 
  And on Sunday mornings when I hear that sweet refrain 
Am                              F 
  I see the soldier's face like it was yesterday 
                          C                               G 
Calling angels down from heaven with that hymn he softly sang 

Of God's good grace 

Outro: Am  C  F  Em  Dm  G  Am  C  F  Em  Dm  G  C