This is from the “Dixie Blues" album version of the song, not the single release. I transcribed it in C, but have been playing it in open E for years, myself. There are probably more complex chords in the “Bridge” section, but I cannot determine them. The ones I used here work OK for me. The Emptiest Arms In The World Merle Haggard From the album “I Love Dixie Blues” Intro : Over last two lines of bridge.
Verse 1: I only [C] call, when I’ve [C7] had but one too [F] man-y, And my [C] lone-ly room goes spin-nin’ in a [G7] whirl… And to- [C] night, I couldn’t [C7] e-ven find my [F] pil-low, I Got The [C] Emp-ti-est [G7] Arms In The [C] World. Verse 2: I no [C] lon-ger wear the [C7] gold band on my [F] fin-ger, And from [C] time to time, I find my-self a [G7] girl. But when I [C] re-a-lize that [C7] she’s not you I’m [F] hol-din’, I got The [C] Emp-ti-est [G7] Arms In The [C] World. Bridge: Empty [G] arms, will [F] ne-ver [Am7] hold you [F] close a- [C] gain, And these cheap ho-tels are like a [Am7] pri-son cell that keep [D7] clo-sin’ in [G7] And [C] you alone, can [C7] fill this lone-ly [F] feel-in’ Of The [C] Emp-ti-est [G7] Arms In The [C] World. Instrumental : Over last two lines of bridge. Direct from Instrumental to closing vocal: …And [C] you a-lone, can [C7] fill this emp-ty [F] feel-in’ Of The [C] Emp-ti-est [G7] Arms In The [C] World. [Thanks to Mike Robertson for tabs]