The Uniform
Standard tuning
No capo
Standard chord fingerings
( * - denotes a chord played only once)
[Intro]
G C G C G C G C
G C Em D G
[Verse 1]
G
Dear brother, oh, dear brother,
C
I hope you're feeling fine,
Em D
And I pray this letter finds you
C
For my family's sake and mine
G
Dear brother, oh, dear brother,
C
Feel the darkness closing fast;
Em D
I must recount to you my story,
C
While my dwindling life does last
G C Em D
[Verse 2]
G
Well I'm certain you remember
C
The beginning of last spring;
Em D
I was poor, alone, and broken
C
But the army took me in
G
Here they promised me good fortune,
C
And a new life I would find,
Em D
So they shipped me off to war,
C
Leaving my homeland far behind
[Chorus]
D
This uniform grows heavy
C
On my body, heart, and soul
D
And I long to see my family,
C
But this war's taking its toll
Em D
Every day I grow more tired
C
My knees buckle, my hands shake
D* D C
Just take care of my loved ones when I'm gone
N.C.
For heaven's sake
G C Em D G
[Verse 3]
G
We marched for many months
C
To cold and foreign lands
Em D
It was on those icy riverbanks
C
The foe had made their stand
G
And I could feel their burning hatred
C
As we marched down to the shore
Em D
And I closed my eyes in terror
C
As I heard those cannons roar
[Chorus]
D
This uniform grows heavy
C
On my body, heart, and soul
D
And I long to see my family,
C
But this war's taking its toll
Em D
Every day I grow more tired
C
My knees buckle, my hands shake
D* D C
Just take care of my loved ones when I'm gone,
N.C.
For heaven's sake
[Break]
D C D C D C
Em* D* C* D* G
[Verse 4]
G
They fired their guns and hit
C
About forty men or so
Em D
Those poor souls, they fell down bleeding
C
Staining the white snow
G
And soon they fired their second volley
C
And a lead ball pierced my breast
Em D
I fell down upon my knees
C
I could barely grasp a breath
[Verse 5]
G
Soon I had awoken
C
Found myself laying on my back
Em D
Far behind the firing line,
C
On a bloody surgeon's mat
G
And I write to you this letter,
C
Ring of battle in my ears
Em D
Just a poor and lonely soldier boy
C
Alone with all his fears
[Pre-Chorus]
C*
I will have no hero's death
N.C.
To me, that much is clear
[Final Chorus]
D
This uniform grows heavy
C
On my body, heart, and soul
D
And I long to see my family,
C
But this war's taking its toll
Em D
Every day I grow more tired
C
My knees buckle, my hands shake
D D C
Just take care of my loved ones when I'm gone,
C
For heaven's sake
Em D
Every day I grow more tired
C
My knees buckle, my hands shake
D* C*
Just take care of my loved ones when I'm gone...