John Barleycorn
View chords used in this chart
D Am C G Am A5 Am A5
There were three men came out of the west
D C Am G Am A5 Am A5
Their fortunes for to try
D Am C G Am A5 Am A5
And these three men made a solemn vow
D C Am G Am A5 Am A5
John Barleycorn must die
C Am Am7 Am
They've plowed, they've sown, the've harrowed him in
C D Esus4 E Esus4 E
Threw clods upon his head
Dm Am C G Am A5 Am A5
And these three men were satisfied
D C Am G Am A5 Am A5
John Barleycorn was dead
D C G Am A5 Am A5
D C G Am A5 Am A5
D C G Am A5 Am A5
D C G Am A5 Am A5
D Am C G Am A5 Am A5
They let him lie for a very long time
D C Am G Am A5 Am A5
Till the rains from heaven did fall
D Am C G Am A5 Am A5
And little Sir John sprung up his head
D C Am G Am A5 Am A5
And so amazed them all
C Am Am7 Am
They let him stand 'til mid summer's day
C D Esus4 E Esus4 E
'til he looked both pale and worn
Dm Am C G Am A5 Am A5
And little Sir John's grown a long, long beard
D C Am G Am A5 Am A5
And so become a man
D C G Am A5 Am A5
D C G Am A5 Am A5
D C G Am A5 Am A5
D C G Am A5 Am A5
D Am C G Am A5 Am A5
They've hired men with scythes so sharp
D C Am G Am A5 Am A5
To cut him off at the knee
D Am C G Am A5 Am A5
They rolled him and tied him by the waist
D C Am G Am A5 Am A5
Serving him most barbarously
C Am Am7 Am
They've hired men with sharp pitch forks
C D Esus4 E Esus4 E
Who pricked him to the heart...
Dm Am C G Am A5 Am A5
And the loader he has served him worse than that
D C Am G Am A5 Am A5
For he's bound him to the cart
D C G Am A5 Am A5
D C G Am A5 Am A5
D C G Am A5 Am A5
D C G Am A5 Am A5
D Am C G Am A5 Am A5
They've wheeled him around and around in the field
D C Am G Am A5 Am A5
'til they came onto a barn
D Am C G Am A5 Am A5
And there they made a solemn oath
D C Am G Am A5 Am A5
On poor John Barleycorn
C Am Am7 Am
They've hired men with the crab tree sticks
C D Esus4 E Esus4 E
to cut him skin from bone
Dm Am C G Am A5 Am A5
And the miller he has served him worse than that
D C Am G Am A5 Am A5
For he's ground him between two stones
D C G Am A5 Am A5
D C G Am A5 Am A5
D C G Am A5 Am A5
D C G Am A5 Am A5
D Am C G Am A5 Am A5
And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl
D C Am G Am A5 Am A5
And he's brandy in the glass
D Am C G Am A5 Am A5
And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl
D Am G Am A5 Am A5
Proved the strongest man at last
C Am Am7 Am
The huntsman, he can't hunt the fox
C D Esus4 E Esus4 E
Nor so loudly blow his horn
Dm Am C G Am A5 Am A5
And the Tinker he can't mend kettle nor pots
D Am G A5
Without a little Barlycorn
How to play John Barleycorn
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 D. 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.