The Missing Piece

Dm7   F  G  C

[Verse 1]
         Am           F              G         C
John and Mary went to live in the Midwest in 1950
     F                 C                    F                G
They worked as hard as immigrants, bought a house and a used car
          Am       G        F               G                C
But their home was still to be a long, long way from Detroit city
   Dm7                         F        G
It called out of the lost part of their hearts
          Dm7                                     F                 G
And their Irish eyes only really smiled when they thought of County Kerry
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The other times they mostly squinted out
         Am           G       F                  Dm7               C
And they reared their kids to sing the songs and share in the same longing
   Dm7                           F     G
No fault of theirs, this love of loyal hearts
             C
For what was missing


[Chorus]
        Am            F                  G               C
Like an animal who'll choose to lose his leg to gain his freedom
    Am               F               C
And leave it cut and torn inside the trap
     Am       G        F                 G          C
When feelings stir and hearts are opened up for any reason
    Dm7                 F            C
The missing piece aches deeply to go back


[Verse 2]
                          Am  F      G                   C
Their feelings stirred on holidays, 'specially Christmas morning
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When Brighde, Tom and Maureen ran with glee into their play
Am   G     F                   G                C
Mary left alone, would pick up paper, bows, and wrapping
    Dm7                         F        G
And John would peel the turnips and make tea
           Dm7                              F           G
There were silences on days like that, that needed no explaining
      Dm7                                     G
Their hearts were with their families back in Kerry
        Am   G      F            Dm7             C
And the wild beauty of the land, to their memory calling
   Dm7                         F        G
No pity now, you've learned to bear the pain
             C
For what was missing


[Instrumental]
Am  F  G  C  Am  F  C
Am G F  G  C  Am  F  G  C


[Verse 3]
    Am              F              G                C
And Mary's house is empty now, the plant in town is closing
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Old John's put in his thirty years, Mary's ready to retire
Am          G      F                 G                   C
This should be the time to head back home to what's been missing
          Dm7                       F       G
But their heart's no longer sure of their desire
     Dm7                                     F                   G
They talk for months and months of pensions, punts, and their survival
    Dm7                                 G
For neither wants to say what they both know
       Am   G       F                         Dm7                  C
They'd only be 'The Yanks' at home and they'd miss their grandkids growing
        Dm7                           F         G
They'll stay right here and reap what they have sown
             C
For what was missing


[Chorus]
        Am            F                  G               C
Like an animal who'll choose to lose his leg to gain his freedom
    Am               F               C
And leave it cut and torn inside the trap
     Am       G        F                 G          C
When feelings stir and hearts are opened up for any reason
    Dm7                 F            C
The missing piece aches deeply to go back
    F                   Dm7         G   C
The missing piece aches deeply