Empty Chairs chords by
Don Mclean (Official Version)

1971Folk452 views

Key: G majorDifficulty: Easy

Intro 1

D

D

D

Verse 1
G G 
 
I feel the trembling tingle
Am7 Am7 
 
of a sleepless night
C C 
 
D7 D7 
 
Creep through my fingers
G G 
 
C/G C/G 
 
G G 
 
and the moon is bright
Beams of blue come flickering
Am7 Am7 
 
through my    window pane
C C 
 
D7 D7 
 
Like gypsy moths
G G 
 
C/G C/G 
 
G G 
 
that dance around a candle flame

Chorus 1
Am7 Am7 
 
And I wonder if you   know
D7 D7 
 
G G 
 
G/F# G/F# 
 
Em Em 
 
That I never understood
Am7 Am7 
 
That although you said you'd go
C C 
 
Until you did
D7 D7 
 
G G 
 
I never thought you would
Am7 Am7 
 
D D 
 
D D 
 
D D 
 

Verse 2
G G 
 
Moonlight used to bathe
Am7 Am7 
 
the contours of your face
C C 
 
D7 D7 
 
While chestnut hair
G G 
 
C/G C/G 
 
G G 
 
fell all around the pillow case
And the fragrance of your flowers
Am7 Am7 
 
rest beneath my head
C C 
 
D7 D7 
 
A sympathy bouquet
G G 
 
C/G C/G 
 
G G 
 
left with the love that's dead

Chorus 2
Am7 Am7 
 
And I wonder if you   know
D7 D7 
 
G G 
 
G/F# G/F# 
 
Em Em 
 
That I never understood
Am7 Am7 
 
That although you said you'd go
C C 
 
Until you did
D7 D7 
 
G G 
 
I never thought you would
G/F# G/F# 
 
Never thought the words  you said were

Bridge 1
Em Em 
 
true
Am7 Am7 
 
Am/G Am/G 
 
Never thought you    said
D/F# D/F# 
 
just what   you meant
G G 
 
G/F# G/F# 
 
Em Em 
 
Never knew how    much I needed you
Am7 Am7 
 
C C 
 
D D 
 
Never thought you'd leave,
G G 
 
until you went
Am7 Am7 
 
D D 
 
D D 
 

Verse 3
G G 
 
Morning comes and morning goes
Am7 Am7 
 
with  no regret
C C 
 
D7 D7 
 
And evening brings
G G 
 
C/G C/G 
 
G G 
 
the memories I  can't forget
Am7 Am7 
 
Empty rooms that echo as I climb the stairs
C C 
 
D7 D7 
 
And empty clothes that drape
G G 
 
C/G C/G 
 
G G 
 
and fall on empty chairs

Chorus 3
Am7 Am7 
 
And I wonder if you   know
D7 D7 
 
G G 
 
G/F# G/F# 
 
Em Em 
 
That I never understood
Am7 Am7 
 
That although you said you'd go
C C 
 
Until you did
D7 D7 
 
G G 
 
I never thought you would
Am7 Am7 
 
D D 
 
D D 
 
D D 
 
G G

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TunerE A D G B E

ChordsD G Am7 C D7...

Chords

D
G
Am7
C
D7
C/G
G/F#
Em
Am/G
D/F#

Finger positions, low to high (E A D G B e). 0 is open, x is muted.

D: x-x-0-2-3-2
G: 3-2-0-0-0-3
Am7: x-0-2-0-1-0
C: x-3-2-0-1-0
D7: x-x-0-2-1-2
C/G: 3-x-2-0-1-0
G/F#: 2-x-0-0-0-x
Em: 0-2-2-0-0-0
Am/G: 3-x-2-2-1-0
D/F#: 2-x-0-2-3-x

Capo: No capo

Transpose: 0

0

Accurately transcribed by the GuitarTuna team.

Minor 7ths sit between minor and major in feel. The course covers the shapes and the songs they show up in most often. Learn minor 7th chords

When a song moves through a lot of chords, the strumming hand has to stay steady through every switch. The basic strumming course covers the patterns and the timing that make changes easier. Smooth out your strumming

This is the definitive original version of Empty Chairs by Don McLean, transcribed exactly as it was recorded in the studio. Unlike our simplified arrangement, this chart preserves the precise chord voicings and progressions in the original key of G major. It suits players who want to learn Empty Chairs the way Don McLean intended, without oversimplifying the arrangement.

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