The Soldier And The Oak chords

Intro: [C]

This is a story that beg[Em]an long, long ago
[Am] I was a young oak tree in d[F]ark Missouri soil
And like all other saplings [C]I had dreams of growing
Strong and ta[G]ll
[C] But one day a rebel with a bul[Em]let in his chest
[Am] Hung his rifle on my [F]limbs and laid to rest
And there beside me as the b[C]lood soaked to my roots
The soldier s[G]ang

A song of grace

[Am] [C] [F] [C]

[C] The heavy rifle bowed me o[Em]ver to the ground
[Am] Two years I stayed this way unt[F]il the rifle fell
And in this manner for a h[C]undred years I grew
All my d[G]reams

Not meant to be
[C] And then one day two men came w[Em]ith a cross cut saw
[Am] They spoke of how my arch would h[F]old a weight so strong
And I feared not the blade for s[C]uch a worthy cause
And so I f[G]ell

I gladly fell

[Am] [C] [F] [Em] [Dm] [G] [Am]

[F] Three winter days ab[G]oard a northbound train
[Am] Three more beneath the h[G]ewer's careful blade
[F] And while he worked he pr[G]aised my rich red grain
[F] Perhaps it was the sol[G]dier's blood that day
[C] Now I'm the wooden arch that h[Em]olds a mighty bell
[Am] Three stocks before me cracked but [F]I shall never fail
Up in a tall cathedral h[C]igh above my dreams
Of long [G]ago
[C] And on Sunday mornings when I [Em]hear that sweet refrain
[Am] I see the soldier's face like [F]it was yesterday
Calling angels down from h[C]eaven with that hymn he softly s[G]ang

Of God's good grace

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