Henryville
View chords used in this chart
Intro
F G Am Bb Am G F
[Verso 1]
F G Am Bb Am G F
As strange as it seems, nobody from Greene had ever once seen Henryville
F G Am Bb Am G F
As close as it was, you'd've thought they'd've would, but they hadn't and that's how it was still
Bb Am G F
And since general consensus was Greene was like heaven and heaven was almost like Greene
F G Am Bb Am G F
Why people went missing was less of a mystery than why they'd ever decided to leave
[Verso 2]
F G Am Bb Am G F
The stage thusly set, our hero enters lft, Bill Nettle's kid lonely and man
F G Am Bb Am G F
A long way from town, drunk way out of tune, upsetted, bull-headed, obscene
Bb Am G F
He was seen from the summit of Big Picnic Hill and all Henryville church bells went wild
F G Am Bb Am G F
And the whole pretty town went to throw roses down at the feet of Bill Nettle's child
[Verso 3]
F G Am Bb Am G F
He was kicking a rock and singing a song of his own composition when he
F G Am Bb Am G F
Saw a blizzard of petals and looked up unsettled at what he proceeded to see
Bb Am G F
Maybe five hundred people, their joy unconcealed, their arms full of roses in bloom
F G Am Bb Am G F
And all of them smiling in welcome at him with faces as pale as moon
[Verso 4]
F G Am Bb Am G F
Bill Nettle had never thought much of his son, and none of the people from Greene
F G Am Bb Am G F
Had thought it that proper to do more than the father so the boy grew up lonely and mean
Bb Am G F
But as sixteen white horses drew a carriage of golden and a whole pretty brass band behind
F G Am Bb Am G F
The boy who folks thought would never add up to nothing like Apollo the Sun King did ride
[Ponte]
F Bb F C
Oh, Henryville, Henryville, how to describe what to others must feel like a dream
F Bb F
Such pretty white houses and pretty white buildings and pretty white marble-lined streets
Bb F Bb F
And wrapped all around it, in knots and in tangles, the prettiest roses entwined
F G Am Bb Am G F
And all of them open and screaming in crimson at Bill Nettle's son as he rode by
[Verso 5]
F G Am Bb Am G F
When they got to the top of Big Picnic Hill, the whole parade came to a halt
F G Am Bb Am G F
And the girl that the women had chosen to be the Queen of the Harvest was called
Bb Am G F
The mayor gave a speech that went on way too long and then all pretty Henryville watched
F G Am Bb Am G F
As the Queen of the Harvest set to beating the brains out of Bill Nettle's boy with a rock
[Verso 6]
F G Am Bb Am G F
A lot of stuff happened in the hours that followed that don't need repeating, so just
F G Am Bb Am G F
Imagine whatever you'd like to imagine when you like to imagine that stuff
Bb Am G F
But with all of the singing and praying and dancing, well, nobody noticed the Queen
F G Am Bb Am G F
Of the Harvest in all her ferocious attire with a rock in her hand turn towards Greene
F G Am Bb Am G F
Of the Harvest in all her ferocious attire with a rock in her hand turn towards Greene
How to play Henryville
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is F. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.