After the Fire

After the fire the tears fell like rain
Where tall trees had stood there was nothing but pain
A forest of green was turned into ash
The world that we knew disappeared in a flash.

(in 3/4) D Dsus D - / Bm - - - / G - - - / D Dsus - - / Bm - G - / D - - - / Bm - G - / D Dsus D -

After the fire we gathered around
Searching for signs of life on the ground
The earth looked so bare as dead as can be
But something was there that nobody could see.

(bridge) Slowly a seed under our feet
Started to stir woken up by the heat
It sent down a root to help it hold tight
It sent up a shoot to reach for the light.

bridge: Bm - - - / / E - - - / / A - - - / - - E - / Bm - - - / A - - -

Seedlings will grow, trees will stand tall
Though we’ll always know how far they can fall
But nothing can kill the will to survive
After the fire there is so much alive.

© 2003 Paul Kaplan Music ASCAP. Used by permission.
Written as a metaphor on the first anniversary of 9/11.

I (Peter) play the chords above because I find Dsus easier to play than Csus. If you want to try singing along with Paul's recording, capo up 3 frets.

Paul plays this in the key of F with his capo up 5 frets using the following chords:

verses: C Csus C - / Am - - - / F - - - / C Csus - - / Am - F - / C - - - / Am - G - /  C Csus C - /

bridge: Am - - - /     / D - - - /     / G - - - / G - E - / Am - - - / G - - - /