John Browns Body Chords

KeyG CapoNone TuningStandard Difficulty Plays697

John Browns Body by Misc Traditional is a moderately challenging guitar song played in the key of G. It uses the chords G, C, B7, Em, Am and D. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.

Transpose
G
Text
16
Speed
  			
verse 1 
G 
Old John Brown’s body lies moldering in the grave, 
       C                               G 
While weep the sons of bondage whom he ventured all to save; 
                               B7                 Em 
But tho he lost his life while struggling for the slave, 
    Am      D        G 
His soul is marching on. 

G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! 
C                  G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! 
                   B7 Em  Am         D        G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! his soul's marching on! 

verse 2 
G 
John Brown was a hero, undaunted, true and brave, 
    C                              G 
And Kansas knows his valor when he fought her rights to save; 
                         B7              Em 
Now, tho the grass grows green above his grave, 
    Am      D        G 
His soul is marching on. 

G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! 
C                  G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! 
                   B7 Em  Am         D        G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! his soul's marching on! 

verse 3 
G 
He captured Harper’s Ferry, with his nineteen men so few, 
    C                                  G 
And frightened "Old Virginny" till she trembled thru and thru; 
                                B7                  Em 
They hung him for a traitor, themselves the traitor crew, 
        Am      D        G 
But his soul is marching on. 
 
G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! 
C                  G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! 
                   B7 Em  Am         D        G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! his soul's marching on! 

verse 4 
G 
John Brown was John the Baptist of the Christ we are to see, 
C                                   G 
Christ who of the bondmen shall the Liberator be, 
                                        B7                  Em 
And soon throughout the Sunny South the slaves shall all be free, 
        Am      D        G 
For his soul is marching on. 

G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! 
C                  G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! 
                   B7 Em  Am         D        G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! his soul's marching on! 

Verse 5 
G 
The conflict that he heralded he looks from heaven to view, 
C                                 G 
On the army of the Union with its flag red, white and blue. 
                                            B7                Em 
And heaven shall ring with anthems o’er the deed they mean to do, 
        Am      D        G 
For his soul is marching on. 

G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! 
C                  G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! 
                   B7 Em  Am         D        G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! his soul's marching on! 

Verse 6 
G 
Ye soldiers of Freedom, then strike, while strike ye may, 
    C                             G 
The death blow of oppression in a better time and way, 
                                   B7              Em 
For the dawn of old John Brown has brightened into day, 
        Am      D        G 
And his soul is marching on. 

G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! 
C                  G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! 
                   B7 Em  Am         D        G 
Glory, glory, hallelujah! his soul's marching on! 
    	

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