[Verse 1]
He kissed her by the screen door
With his duffel by his feet
Three boys and one little girl
All lined up by the seat
Mama held back her tears
Like she was holding up the sky
He said, "I'll be back before too long"
But his voice could barely try
[Pre-Chorus]
The youngest gripped his Army cap
The oldest stood up tall
She watched him walk to that old truck
And learned to never fall
One by one they counted steps
Till the gravel swallowed sound
And five hearts learned a new way
To hold this house down
[Chorus]
Four chairs back
One man gone
(Home keeps going on)
Four chairs back
He'll come back strong
(He'll come back strong)
Three boys, one girl, one wife at home
Prayin' hard through the night alone
Four chairs back
But love stays on
(Home keeps going on)
[Verse 2]
Sunday meals got a little quiet
At the table by the wall
A mitten lost in the laundry
A toy truck in the hall
Mama fixed the leaky faucet
Mowed the yard and paid the light
And every time the phone rang
They all jumped up at night
[Pre-Chorus]
The boys drew tanks in the dirt
The girl wore Daddy's ring
They said, "When he gets home again
We got so much to show him"
And every scraped-up little prayer
Rose up off the floor
Like boots on a wooden porch
Coming back through that door
[Chorus]
Four chairs back
One man gone
(Home keeps going on)
Four chairs back
He'll come back strong
(He'll come back strong)
Three boys, one girl, one wife at home
Prayin' hard through the night alone
Four chairs back
But love stays on
(Home keeps going on)
[Bridge]
Then one fall day the dust rolled in
And boots hit that drive
Three boys ran hard, one little girl cried
"He's home, he's home tonight"
He took off that old green jacket
And held them all real tight
Said, "I carried you through every mile
You carried me through mine"
[Chorus]
Four chairs back
One man gone
(Home keeps going on)
Four chairs back
He came back strong
(He came back strong)
Three boys, one girl, one wife at home
Now the whole front porch sings along
Four chairs back
But love stayed on
(Home keeps going on)
[Outro]
Four chairs back
At a table for five
Four chairs back
And all five alive
(Home keeps going on)