The Torch Committee chords by Josh Ritter

Em

Verse 1:

Em
Good evening, may we say again

    G
How pleased we are that you've come in

    Amin
The day was long, your bed was soft

C
Still there's some names we're crossing off

   Em
It says here by your file you

     G
Have been so loyal, brave, and true

   Amin
We need not fret, you need not fear

    C
And so we come to why you're here

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Verse 2:

   Em
The torch committee now confirms

    G
The truth of rumors lately heard

    Amin
That there come monsters in our midst

C
Well-disguised and carefully hid

Em
Anywhere and anyone

    G
The root of every evil done

    Amin
But you will help us root them out

    C
The torch committee has no doubt

Em  G  C  Amin

Verse 3:

Em
We see your hands and legs are tied

   G
In clearest breach of by-law five

    Amin
And left here in this little room

   C
In clearest breach of by-law two

    Em
And though you know that we take pains

    G
The process of the law remains

    Amin
All technicalities aside

       C
You'll see our hands are also tied

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Verse 4:

  Em
For us, the job brings only pain

   G
To see you naked in these chains

   Amin
To see you naked where you stand

C
Where so many others have

Em
Imagine how it feels each day

   G
To send so many men a way

    Amin
But see we've got a job and we

     C
Must dot each "i" and cross each "t"

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Verse 5:

Em
Something's horribly amiss

G
How else could you be on our list

     Amin
Still we all know directive twelve

    C
All those so named must prove themselves

   Em
To hungry mob and angry crowd

G
Young men making families proud

   Amin
By means not meant for light of day

   C
We wish there was a softer way

Em  G  C  Amin

Verse 6:

Em
Wait, suppose that we untie

     G
Your hands to sign upon this line

   Amin
To pledge that you have always been

  C
A patriot and citizen

Em
Please ignore the legalese

G
Lawyers (am I right?) now see

    Amin
Why we're so happy that you came

     C
Appendix three and list of names

Em  G  C  Amin

Verse 7:

Em
Pardon us but we can't help

    G
But laugh, if you could see yourself

Amin
Relax, it's always strange to see

    C
The names on each appendix three

Em
Brothers, fathers, sons, and wives

    G
The ones with whom you've shared your life

Amin
Mothers, daughters, sisters, friends

C
Patriots and citizens

Verse 8:

Em
Children playing in the street

G
Strangers whom you chance to meet

    Amin
The god to whom you chance to pray

    C
The girl with whom you choose to stay

   Em
We know the monsters, know their names

   G
By which they go and which they've changed

    Amin
And every whisper that we've heard

      C
We've read their poison, every word

Em
How we wish that we could say

     G
That each of them will walk away

    Amin
But sadly it's the awful truth

     C
It's them or us, it's them or you

Em  G  C  Amin
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Verse 9:

   Em
So put your finger to the names

    G
The only cure for fear is blame

   Amin
In doing so, you're doing good

       C
There's many called who never would

    Em
Who stuck by what they thought was right

    G
Who disappeared by dark of night

    Amin
Who disappeared into the breeze

C
Left no family left to grieve

Em  G  C  Amin

Verse 10:

Em
There, now see, that wasn't bad

G
As you leave, you can be glad

    Amin
That you have done your little part

   C
To fight the monsters in the dark

    Em
But have a care, the night is cold

G
Take a torch before you go

    Amin
And we will keep you safe and warm

       C
That's what the torch committee's for

Outro:
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Em  G  Em   C

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