The idea for the song came when the flood of memories hit me while I walked through the house after everything was moved out.

LYRICS:

BACK IN 1971.
WE LEFT CHICAGO FOR OUR NEW HOME.
WASTED NO TIME FILLING UP ALL THESE EMPTY ROOMS.
WITH BEDS AND TABLES AND KITCHEN CHAIRS
AND ALL THE MEMORIES WE WOULD SHARE
NOW IT FEELS ODD TO STOP AND STARE
AT THESE EMPTY ROOMS.

CHORUS--ONCE THE FURNITURE IS GONE,
AND ALL THE PICTURES HAVE BEEN TAKEN DOWN.
NOTHIN LEFT BUT ECHOES AND THE COBWEBS IN THE MORNING SUN
ONLY THEN, DOES THE FLOOD BEGIN
OF ALL THE MEMORIES FROM WAY BACK THEN.
IN A RUSH, THEY COME POURIN IN TO THESE EMPTY ROOMS.

THIS DRIVEWAY USED TO BE A PARKING LOT
FILLED WITH CARS LEAVING OIL SPOTS,
KILL THE ENGINE WHEN DRIVING IN BEFORE THE MORNING LIGHT
SNEAKIN IN SO THE FOLKS WONT KNOW
DOESNT SEEM THAT LONG AGO
EVEN NOW AS I WANDER THROUGH THESE EMPTY ROOMS

(CHORUS)

WE GOT ALONG AND WE GOT IN FIGHTS
BUT EVERYTHING ALWAYS TURNED OUT RIGHT
BEFORE WE KNEW IT WE WERE MOVIN OUT OF OUR OLD ROOMS.
BUT WE ALWAYS CAME BACK HOME
FOR HOLIDAYS OR TO SAY HELLO
WE MUST HAVE TOLD A MILLION JOKES IN THOSE EMPTY ROOMS.
(CHORUS)
WE WONT FORGET THE HAPPY TIMES.
WE WONT FORGET THE TEARS WE CRIED.
ONCE THE PAPERWORK IS SIGNED AND THE HOUSE IS SOLD.
THEY WILL TURN THE KEY AND PEER INSIDE
INTO THE HOUSE WHERE THEY START THEIR LIVES,
FILLING UP EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE EMPTY ROOMS

REVISED CHORUS FOR LAST PART---
ONCE THE FURNITURE IS THERE, WITH PICTURES HANGING EVERYWHERE.
AND THEY ALL SHARE A MEAL WHERE WE ALL ONCE SAT DOWN.
THEYRE TAKIN PICTURES OF THEIR FAMILY
WELL BE LOOKIN BACK ON WHAT USED TO BE
MEMORIES OF GOLD PACKED INTO THOSE EMPTY ROOMS. (less info)