While I Was Away

Intro 
F  G  C 
C  C  C 


 
       C 
By the time I made it home, 
         Am7 
You were already in bed. 
G 
Chubby cheek pressed to your pillow, 
                        C 
By a bedtime book you'd read. 
      C 
And I noticed that you looked older, 
     Am7 
Than you did yesterday. 
            Gsus4 
You've been growin' up, 
G            C   Csus4  C 
While I was away... 
 

 
           C 
You made a pile of leaves in the front yard, 
        Am7 
I guess it's already fall. 
       Gsus4         G 
By the look of those pictures your momma took, 
                     C 
The two of you had a ball. 
       C 
And it made me glad but a little sad, 
   Am7 
To see those games you play. 
           G 
I missed a lot of smiles, 
             C 
While I was away... 
 

 
        G/B   Am7                     F                    C 
And for every dollar I earn there's a lesson you learn without me there, 
    G/B   Am7                   F                          C            G 
And every day I'm on the go I'm prayin' that you know your daddy cared. 
           C                                         Am      Fm 
'Cause the hardest part about workin' hard ain't the bills I gotta pay, 
     G                           C 
It's you growin' up while I was away... 
 

 
      C 
And I found your note in the kitchen, 
       Am7 
It's a real work of art. 
  G 
A stickman holding your stick hand, 
                          C 
With "Daddy" written in a heart. 
       C 
And it got me good 'cause I understood, 
     Am7 
Just what you meant to say. 
            G 
You've been missin' me too, 
             C 
While I was away... 
 

 
        G/B   Am7                     F                    C 
And for every dollar I earn there's a lesson you learn without me there, 
    G/B   Am7                   F                          C            G 
And every day I'm on the go I'm prayin' that you know your daddy cared. 
           C                                         Am      Fm 
'Cause the hardest part about workin' hard ain't the bills I gotta pay, 
     G                           C 
It's you growin' up while I was away... 
 

Outro 
             C                  E                      Am            F 
You know the hardest part about workin' hard ain't the bills I gotta pay, 
C         Dm             G                      C 
It's everything I missed while I... was away...