John Barleycorn Must Die (acoustic)
View chords used in this chart
Capo 7
Intro:
Asus2 (arpeggiated down and up)
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
verse 1:
D Am C G Am
There were three men came out of the west,
D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2
Their fortunes for to try.
D Am C G Am-Asus2-Am
And these three men made a solemn oath,
D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2
John Barleycorn must die.
[Refrão]
C G Am
They've ploughed, they've sewn, they've harrowed him in,
C D Esus4-E
Threw clods upon his head.
Dm Am C G Am-Asus2-Am
And these three men made a solemn oath,
D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2
John Barleycorn was dead.
Instrumental 1:
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2
verse 2:
D Am C G Am
They've let him lie for a very long time,
D C G Am-Asus2-Am
Till the rains from heaven did fall.
D Am C G Am-Asus2-Am
And little Sir John sprung up his head,
D C G Am-Asus2-Am
and so amazed them all.
[Refrão]
C G Am
They've let him stand till Midsummer's Day,
C D Esus4-E
Till he looked both pale and wan.
Dm Am C G Am-Asus2-Am
And these three men made a solemn oath,
D C G Am-Asus2-Am
On poor John Barleycorn.
Instrumental 2:
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
verse 3:
D Am C G Am
They've hired men with the scythes so sharp,
D C G Am-Asus2-Am
To cut him off at the knee.
D Am C G Am-Asus2-Am
They've rolled him and tied him by the waist,
D C G Am-Asus2-Am
Serving him most barbarously.
[Refrão]
C G Am
They've hired men with the sharp pitchforks,
C D Esus4-E
Who pricked him to the heart.
Dm Am C G Am-Asus2-Am
And the loader he has served him worse than that,
D C G Am-Asus2-Am
For he's bound him to the cart.
Instrumental 3:
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
verse 4:
D Am C G Am
They've wheeled him around and around the field,
D C G Am-Asus2-Am
Till they came unto a barn.
D Am C G Am-Asus2-Am
And there they made a solemn oath,
D C G Am-Asus2-Am
On poor John Barleycorn.
[Refrão]
C G Am
They've hired men with the crab-tree sticks,
C D Esus4-E
To cut him skin from bone.
Dm Am C G Am-Asus2-Am
And the miller he has served him worse than that,
D C G Am-Asus2-Am
For he's ground him between two stones.
Instrumental 4:
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|(Mmm-oooh)
|D C G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|(Who-oooh)
VERSE 5:
D Am C G Am
And little Sir John and the nut-brown bowl,
C D Esus4-E
And heâ??s brandy in the glass.
D Am C G Am-Asus2-Am
And little Sir John and the nut-brown bowl,
D C G Am-Asus2-Am
Proved the strongest man at last.
[Refrão]
C G Am
The huntsman, he can't hunt the fox,
C D Esus4-E
Nor so loudly to blow his horn.
Dm Am C G Am-Asus2-Am
And the tinker he can't mend kettle nor pots,
D C G Am (Slowed tempo, arpeggio and fade, on last line)
Without a little Barleycorn.
How to play John Barleycorn Must Die (acoustic)
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 Asus2. 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.