Railroad Bill Chords

KeyC CapoNone TuningStandard Difficulty Plays449

Railroad Bill by Ramblin Jack Elliott is a moderately challenging guitar song played in the key of C. It uses the chords C, E7, F, G, C7 and D7. 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
  			

C 
Railroad Bill, Railroad Bill 
E7                      F 
He never worked, and he never will, 
          C     G    C 
and it's ride, ride, ride. 

C                  C7 
Railroad Bill, he ain't so bad, 
F                        D7 
killed his momma, shot a round in his dad 
C        G        C 
Ride old Railroad Bill. 

C 
Railroad Bill done took my wife. 
E7                              F 
If I'd said a word, he'd have taken my life 
         C        G        C 
And it’s Ride old Railroad Bill. 

C                           C7 
Railroad Bill he was comin' down the hill 
F                      D7 
Lightin' cigars with a ten-dollar bill 
C        G          C 
Ride old Railroad Bill 

C 
Ten policemen, all dressed in black, 
E7                             F 
coming out of nowhere, walking down the tracks, 
            C           G        C 
and they're looking for Railroad Bill 

C                     C7 
Railroad Bill, comin' round the fence 
F                             D7 
Robbin' a passenger train for 16 cents 
          C        G        C 
I'm gonna ride old Railroad Bill 

C 
Railroad Bill got in a gamblin' game 
E7                         F 
shot a man down, though he was to blame 
C                             G      C 
when you lose your mind, just let it loose 

C                    C7 
Railroad Bill he's a mighty bad man 
F                       D7 
Shot the lantern from a brakeman's hand 
C                    G      C 
Just to see that man suffer pain. 

C 
Got a great long pistol, 'bout as long as your arm, 
E7                             F 
I'm gonna shoot everybody ever done me harm 
         C     G     C 
And it’s ride, Bill, ride. 

C                       C7 
Got a .38 special on a .45 frame. 
F                     D7 
How can I miss when I got dead aim 
C     G     C 
Ride, ride, ride. 

C 
Gonna drink my whiskey, gonna drink it in the wind 
E7                                   F 
The doctor said it'd kill me, but he didn't say  when, 
         C        G        C 
And it’s ride Old Railroad Bill 

C                         C7 
Going up on the mountain, going out west. 
F                             D7 
Thirty eight special sticking out of my vest. 
C     G         C 
Ride, ride Bill Ride. 

(I usually use this as the last verse.) 

C 
Railroad Bill, Railroad Bill 
E7                      F 
He never worked, and he never will, 
C     G     C 
Ride, ride, ride. 
    	

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