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Empty Garden

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[Verse 1]
What happened hereG? As the New York sunset disappearedD  
I found an Empty GAarden, among the flagstones tBmhere
Who lGived here?  He must have been a gardener that cDared a lot
who weeded out the tears and grew a gAood crop
Now it all looks sBmtrange
It's funny how one iGnsect can dAamage so much gDrain
[Verse 2]
And Gwhat's it for, this little Empty Garden by the Dbrownstone door
and in the cracks along the sAidewalk
nothing grows no Bmmore
Who lGived here?  He must have been gardener that cDared a lot
who weeded out the tears and grew a gAood crop
and we are so aBmmazed
we're crippled and we're Gdazed
A gardener like that Aone, no one can Dreplace
[Chorus]
And I've been Gknockin'
but no one aDnswers
And I've been Gknockin'
most all the Bmday
Oh, and I've been Emcallin'
oh, hey, hey BmJohnny
can't you come GouAt to plaDy?
D
[Verse 3]
And tGhrough their tears
some say he farmed his best in yDounger years
but he'd have said that roots grow sAtronger
If only he could Bmhear
Who Glived there?  He must have been a gardener that Dcared a lot
who weeded out the tears and grew Agood crop
Now we pray for rBmain
And with every drop that Gpours
we Ahear, we hear your namDe
[Chorus]
And I've been kGnockin'
but no one Danswers
And I've been Gknockin'
most all the daBmy
oh, and I've been Emcalling
oh, hey, hey BmJohnny
can't you come oGut,       Ato Dplay
[Chorus]
And I've been kGnockin'
but no one Danswers
And I've been Gknockin'
most all the daBmy
oh, and I've been Emcalling
oh, hey, hey BmJohnny
can't you come oGut, caAn't you come out to pDlay
[Outro]
JohEmnny, cGan't you come out to pAlay in your Empty GDarden
(repeat)

All chords in this song (5)

The story behind the song

"Empty Garden" is a poignant tribute to John Lennon, written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin for the 1982 album Jump Up!. The song uses the metaphor of an empty garden to represent Lennon's life and work, acknowledging his efforts and achievements. The title also refers to an empty venue, alluding to the Madison Square Garden where Lennon and John once performed together. This song carries the weight of a deep friendship and the profound loss of an iconic figure.

AI-written from these sources:Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny) — Wikipedia ↗Elton John — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

Empty Garden

by Elton John

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[Verse 1]

G D

What happened here? As the New York sunset disappeared

A Bm

I found an Empty Garden, among the flagstones there

G D

Who lived here? He must have been a gardener that cared a lot

who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop

Now it all looks strange

G A D

It's funny how one insect can damage so much grain

[Verse 2]

G D

And what's it for, this little Empty Garden by the brownstone door

and in the cracks along the sidewalk

nothing grows no more

G D

Who lived here? He must have been gardener that cared a lot

who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop

and we are so amazed

we're crippled and we're dazed

A D

A gardener like that one, no one can replace

[Chorus]

And I've been knockin'

but no one answers

And I've been knockin'

most all the day

Oh, and I've been callin'

oh, hey, hey Johnny

G A D

can't you come out to play?

[Verse 3]

And through their tears

some say he farmed his best in younger years

but he'd have said that roots grow stronger

If only he could hear

G D

Who lived there? He must have been a gardener that cared a lot

who weeded out the tears and grew good crop

Now we pray for rain

And with every drop that pours

A D

we hear, we hear your name

[Chorus]

And I've been knockin'

but no one answers

And I've been knockin'

most all the day

oh, and I've been calling

oh, hey, hey Johnny

G A D

can't you come out, to play

[Chorus]

And I've been knockin'

but no one answers

And I've been knockin'

most all the day

oh, and I've been calling

oh, hey, hey Johnny

G A D

can't you come out, can't you come out to play

[Outro]

Em G A D

Johnny, can't you come out to play in your Empty Garden

(repeat)

About Empty Garden Chords by Elton John

Learn how to play Empty Garden by Elton John with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Empty Garden chords”, “Empty Garden guitar chords”, or “Elton John Empty Garden chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Empty Garden chords and for experienced players who want accurate Empty Garden lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, D, A, Bm, Em.

FAQ — Empty Garden by Elton John

How do I play "Empty Garden" by Elton John on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Empty Garden" by Elton John on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "Empty Garden" by Elton John free?

Yes. The chords for "Empty Garden" by Elton John are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Empty Garden" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Empty Garden" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Empty Garden"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Empty Garden" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Empty Garden" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Empty Garden" by Elton John with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Elton John below.

What key is "Empty Garden" in?

The chords for "Empty Garden" show the original chord names (including G, D, A, Bm, Em). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.