St. James Infirmary Blues
View chords used in this chart
Intro: Instrumental Verse
Am E7 Am E7
It was down at old Joe's bar room
Am Fmaj7 C E7
At the corner by the square
Am E7 Am Am/G E7
They were serving the drinks as usual
Fmaj7 E7 Am E7 Am E7
And the usual crowd was there
Am E7 Am E7
On my left stood big Joe MacKennedy
Am Fmaj7 C E7
His eyes were bloodshot red
Am E7 Am Am/G E7
And as he looked at the crowd around him
Fmaj7 E7 Am E7 Am E7
These were the very words he said.
Am E7 Am E7
I went down to St. James Infirmary
Am Fmaj7 C E7
Just to see my baby there
Am E7 Am Am/G E7
She was stretched out on a long, white table
Fmaj7 E7 Am E7 Am E7
So cold, so sweet, so fair
Am E7 Am E7
Seventeen coal-black horses
Am Fmaj7 C E7
Hitched to a rubber-tied hack
Am E7 Am Am/G E7
Seven girls goin' to the graveyard
Fmaj7 E7 Am E7 Am E7
Only six of them are coming back
Am E7 Am E7
Let her go. Let her go, God bless her
Am Fmaj7 C E7
Wherever she may be
Am E7 Am Am/G E7
She may search this wide world over
Fmaj7 E7 Am E7 Am E7
She'll never find another man like me
Instrumental Verse x2
Am E7 Am E7
Am Fmaj7 C E7
Am E7 Am Am/G E7
Fmaj7 E7 Am E7 Am E7
Am E7 Am E7
When I die, when I die, Lord bury me
Am Fmaj7 C E7
In my high-top Stetson hat
Am E7 Am Am/G E7
Place a twenty-dollar gold piece on my watch chain
Fmaj7 E7 Am E7 Am E7
To let the Lord know that I died standing pat
Am E7 Am E7
I want six crap-shooters for my pallbearers
Am Fmaj7 C E7
A Chorus girl to sing me a song
Am E7 Am Am/G E7
Place a jazz band on my hearse wagon
Fmaj7 E7 Am E7 Am E7
To raise hell as we roll along
Am E7 Am E7
Now that you've heard my story
Am Fmaj7 C E7
I'll take another shot of booze
Am E7 Am Am/G E7
And if anyone here should ask you
Fmaj7 E7 Am E7 Am E7
Just tell them I've got the gambler's blues
Instrumental Verse, end on Am
Ocultar tablatura
St. James Infirmary
Instrumental Verse
Am E7
E |--------------------------|--0--0--------0-----------|
B |--------------------1--3--|-----------1-----3--------|
G |--------------------------|-----------------------0--|
D |--------------------------|--------2-----------2-----|
A |--------------------------|--0-----------------------|
E |--------------------------|--------------0-----------|
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Am Am Fmaj7
E |-----------------------0--|--0--0--------5--3-----0--|
B |--1-----------------------|--------------------------|
G |-----2--------------------|--------------------5-----|
D |--------2-----------2-----|--------2-----3-----------|
A |--0-----------------------|--0-----------------------|
E |--------------0-----------|--------------------------|
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
C E7 Am E7
E |-----------------0-----0--|--5--0-----0--0-----------|
B |--------------------------|--------1-----------3-----|
G |--------------------------|--------------------------|
D |--------2-----------2-----|--------------------------|
A |--3-----------2-----------|--0-----------3-----2-----|
E |--------------------------|--------------------------|
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Am Am/G Fmaj7 E7
E |--------------------------|--------------------------|
B |--1--------------1--------|--1--1--------0-----------|
G |-----2-----------------0--|-----------2-----1-----2--|
D |--------2-----------2-----|--------3-----------2-----|
A |--0-----------------------|--------------------------|
E |--------------3-----------|--1-----------0-----------|
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Am
E |--------------------------|
B |--------------------------|
G |--------------------------|
D |--------2----------2------|
A |--0-----------------------|
E |--------------0-----------|
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
How to play St. James Infirmary Blues
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 Am. 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.