John Henry Chords

KeyC CapoNone TuningStandard Difficulty Plays515

John Henry by Hugh Laurie is a moderately challenging guitar song played in the key of C. It uses the chords C, Am and F. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.

Transpose
C
Text
16
Speed
  			
verse 1 
C 
John Henry had a little woman 

And the dress she wore was red 
Am 
She walked down the track 
F 
She never looked back 

 
        Am                      F 
I'm going where John Henry fell dead 
        Am                      C 
I'm going where John Henry fell dead 


verse 2 
C 
John Henry had another woman 

And her name was Polly Anne 
Am 
John Henry was taken sick 
F 
And he had to go to bed 

 
        Am                   F 
Polly Anne drove steel like a man 
        Am                   C 
Polly Anne drove steel like a man 


verse 3 
C 
John Henry told his little woman 

Honey fix my supper soon 
Am 
I got ninety-nine miles 
F 
Of track I wanna line back 

 
          Am                           F 
I'm gonna line 'em by the light of the moon 
          Am                           C 
I'm gonna line 'em by the light of the moon 


verse 4 
C 
John Henry said to his captain 

You know a man ain't nothin' but a man 
Am                              F 
I'm bettin' right now you won't beat me down 


          Am                      F 
I'm gonna die with my hammer in my hand 
          Am                      C 
I'm gonna die with my hammer in my hand 


Verse 5 
C 
John Henry hammered in the mountain 

Until his hammer caught on fire 
Am                               F 
The last word's I heard that the poor boy said 

 
Am                                   F 
Give me a cool drink of water before I die 
Am                                   C 
Give me a cool drink of water before I die   (x3)  
    	

Chord diagrams

Guitar tuner

--
Start the tuner and play a string

Reference tones

Standard tuning, lowest to highest. Click a string to play it; the string the mic hears is highlighted.

Click Start tuner and allow microphone access. The needle centers and turns green when a string is in tune (within 5 cents).
No microphone? You can still tap any string above to hear its exact reference pitch.

Metronome

100 BPM Andante