St. James Infirmary Chords

KeyEm CapoNone TuningStandard Difficulty Plays478

St. James Infirmary by Janis Joplin is a moderately challenging guitar song played in the key of Em. It uses the chords Em, B7 and Am. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.

Transpose
Em
Text
16
Speed
  			1) 
        Em      B7       Em                   Am      Em 
It was down in old Joe's barroom, on a corner by the square; 
      B7                   Em            Am    B7        Em 
The drinks were served as usual, and the usual crowd was there 
 
Ref: 
                    B7       Em                    Am      Em 
Let her go, let her go, God bless here! Where ever she may be; 
                                    Am      Em           B7       Em 
She may search this wide world over, never find a man as sweet as me! 
 
 
(2)On my left stood Joe McKennedy, his eyes were blood-shot red; 
He turned to the crowd around him, these were the very words he said: 
 
(3)I went down to the St James Infirmary, I saw my baby there; 
Stretched out on a long white table, so sweet, so cold, so fair 
 
-------------------- 
JUISTE TEKST: 
 
I went down to old Joe's bar room 
On the corner by the square. 
Well, the drinks were bein' served as usual, 
And this motley crowd was there. 
 
Well, on my left stood Joe McKennedy 
And his eyes were bloodshot red. 
When he told me that sad story, 
These were the words he said: 
 
I went down to the St. James infirmary, 
I saw my baby there, 
She was stretched out on a long white table, 
So cold, and fine, and fair. 
Go ahead! 
 
Let her go, let her go, God bless her, 
Wherever she may be, 
She can search this world over 
Never find another man like me. 
 
Yes, sixteen coal black horses 
To pull that rubber tied hack. 
Well, it's seventeen miles to the graveyard 
But my baby's never comin' back. 
 
Well, now you've heard my story, 
Well, have another round of booze 
And if anyone should ever, ever ask you 
I've got the St. James infirmary blues 

    	

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