Topic: Empty Glasses, Empty Tables
Song about busing in a bar and life.
Empty Glasses, Empty Tables By Jeff Gilpin
August 12th, 2018
Intro
[G]....[E]..[E7]..[Am]...[G].
Verse 1
I [Am]met a man the other day while busing at a bar.
[G] He [FMaj7]felt we were in common how our [Am]life had led so far.
[G] I [FMaj7]told him it was nice to meet some[Am]one he could relate,
[Am7] But I [D]had to get my busing done and [E]I was running late. [E7]
Chorus 1
Empty [FMaj7]glasses, empty tables means no [C]one’s sitting here,
Or [G]ordering a drink, or two, or [C]any kind of [G]beer,
Or a [FMaj7]friendly conversation had [C]between a group of friends,
Or a [G]look inside yourself, and all the [E]places [E7]that you’ve [Am]been. [G]
Verse 2
He [Am]said, “I was just like you, a working man was I,
[G]And [FMaj7]I did janitorial work for a [Am]city not far away.
[G]Was [FMaj7]in my state capital and I [Am]kept it spick and span
[Am7]Un[D]til I punched my final clock, a [E]tired and older [E7]man.”
Chorus 2
He’d [FMaj7]sweep and he’d mop and he’d [C]shinny up the floor.
Then he’d [G]come on in the next day just to [C]do the same thing [G]more.
While the [FMaj7]various men of power walked a[C]round him without seeing
To [G]them he was nonexistent not [E]really a [E7]human [Am]being. [G]
Verse 3
“But you [Am]see I kept my eyes open and oh the things I saw.
[G] Some [FMaj7]right peculiar relationships met [Am]there as I recall.
[G] These [FMaj7]great men of power had their [Am]women and some men,
[Am7]And [D]all this around me all my life. [E] I took it all [E7]in.”
Chorus 3
“Yes, I [FMaj7]minded my place in life, [C]eyes and ears opened wide.
I [G]kept about my business; I [C]didn’t have to [G]hide,
But I col[FMaj7]lected many secrets from [C]all these powerful men
Until my [G]time had finally come, my [E]next [E7]life to be[Am]gin.” [G]
Verse 4
He [Am]said, “Now I’ll not bore you with every little detail,
[G]But [FMaj7]every other week or two I get [Am]something in the mail.
[G]I [FMaj7]get a little tide sum from these [Am]men I used to see,
[Am7]And I [D]live like I do now on those who [E]never noticed [E7]me.”
Chorus 4
Then he [FMaj7]looked at me with sad eyes that said [C]more than he’d told,
About [G]how he got to where he was so [C]tired and so [G]old,
And I [FMaj7]noticed how he looked around, taking [C]in all he could see,
[G]Thinking about that old man’s life, [E]also [E7]thinking of [Am]me. [G]
Verse 5
So I [Am]thanked him for his story, and I bought him a beer
[G]For [FMaj7]sharing his life’s story, and [Am]how it led him here.
[G]Then I [FMaj7]gave him his cold one, and I [Am]looked around once more.
[Am7]My [D]work was stacking up again so [E]I went back to my [E7]chore.
Chorus 5
Empty [FMaj7]glasses, empty tables means no [C]one’s sitting here,
Or [G]ordering a drink, or two, or [C]any kind of [G]beer,
Or a [FMaj7]friendly conversation had [C]between a group of friends,
Or a [G]look inside yourself, and all the [E]places [E7]that you’ve [Am]been.
J E T S
...and yet a Washington Commanders fan (unless they change their name again) ...long story...HTT...C
...and yet a Washington Commanders fan (unless they change their name again) ...long story...HTT...C
