The Hobo Song
View chords used in this chart
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[Verse 1]
G Em
Too late to feel sorrow
C Am
Too late to feel pain
F Am
He's just an old hobo
G
Asleep out in the rain
[Verse 2]
G Em
He'll never cause trouble
C Am
Don't have no fear
F Am
He's just an old hobo
G
And he'll soon be far away from here
[Chorus]
B7 C C7
He used to be a gambling man just like you
G D C
Until he sank so low there was nothing no one could do
B7 C C7
He used to be a gambling man just like you
G D C
Until he sank so low there was nothing no one could do
[Break 1]
(Mandolin Break leads into Guitar Break)
G Em C Am F Am G G Em C Am F Am G
e |----------------------7-|9b-9b7-7-0-0---8--8--8--|8-8-----8---8---8---8---|0-2-3-0---
B |-------------------7-7--|------9----------8--8--8|------11--11--11--11----|-------3p0
G |--------------4-6/8-----|--------9---8/9-9--9--9-|-9-9-9---9---9---9------|----------
D |-----------4-6----------|------------------------|------------------------|----------
A |--0-1-2-4/6-------------|------------------------|------------------------|----------
E |-3----------------------|------------------------|------------------------|----------
0--------------|
-3-0---0-------|
----2/3-2p0----|
-----------2p0-|
---------------|
---------------|
e |------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|----------
B |------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|----------
G |------2----------------0|--0-----0--0------------|---0-------2--2--2--2--2|--2-------
D |-2-3-4-4-3-2-0---0----2-|-2-----0--0----------0--|2p0-------1--1--1--1--1-|-1--------
A |--------------2-0--2-3--|3--3--2--2--0---0-1/2---|-----0-1-2-----2-----2--|---2-0-2-3
E |------------------------|-------------2-3--------|----3-------2-----2-----|2---3-----
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---------------|
---------------|
---------------|
-------0-1-2-3-|
0-1-2-3--------|
e |-----------------3--6-6-|-0-2-3-0---0------------|------------------------|----------
B |---------0-1-3/5--5-5-5-|--------3p0-3-0---------|------------------------|-1p0-1-0--
G |------0-2---------------|---------------3-2-0----|0-------2---------------|0---2---2-
D |-0-1-2------------------|---------------------2p0|-0-2-3-4-4-3-2-0---0-0h2|----------
A |------------------------|------------------------|----------------2p0-----|----------
E |------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|----------
---------------|
-0-------------|
0-2-0----------|
-----2-0-------|
--------1/2----|
-----------3---|
[Verse 3]
G Em
Oh, don't make him ask you
C Am
Oh, don't make him beg
F Am
He was a war hero
G
And that's how he hurt his leg
[Verse 4]
G Em
He killed thirty indians
C Am
With one cannonball
F Am
He's just an old hobo
G
Asleep out in the hall
[Chorus]
B7 C C7
He used to be a gambling man just like you
G D C
Until he sank so low there was nothing no one could do
B7 C C7
He used to be a gambling man just like you
G D C
Until he sank so low there was nothing no one could do
[Break 2]
e |----------0-0-3-0-2-0---|0---------------0-3p0-0-|0----0---0-0-3-3-3-3-3-3|3-0---0---
B |---------------------3p0|-3-0------------1-----1-|1----1---1-1------------|---3p0-3-0
G |--------2/--------------|----3\2-0-------2-----2-|2-0h2-0h2--2------------|----------
D |------------------------|---------2~-----2-----2-|3----------2------------|----------
A |------------------------|-----------3-2-0--------|------------------------|----------
E |-3-2-1-0----------------|--------------3---------|------------------------|----------
---------------|
---------------|
3/2-0---0------|
-----2p0-2-0---|
------------2--|
-------------3-|
e |------------------0-0-0-|0-0---------0-3-0-2-0---|0-0----0---0---0-----0--|0-2-3-0---
B |------------------0-0-0-|0-0------------------3p0|--1----1---1---1-----1--|-------3p0
G |-----------0------0-0-0-|0-0---------------------|--2-0h2-0h2-0h2--0-2-2--|----------
D |------0-2p0-------x-x-x-|0-x-0-0-0-0-------------|--3--------------0-2-2--|----------
A |-0-1/2------------3-5h7-|x-7-x-x-x-x-------------|------------------------|----------
E |------------3-1-0-x-x-x-|7-8-8-7-6-5~------------|------------------------|----------
0--------------|
-3-0-----------|
----3/2-0---0--|
---------2p0---|
---------------|
---------------|
e |------------------------|------------------------|
B |------------------------|------------------------|
G |------------------------|---0--------------------|
D |-2-0-----------------0--|2p0---------------------|
A |----1p0-1p0-1p0-0-1/2---|-----0-1-2--------------|
E |---------------3--------|----3-------------------|
(Mandolin Break)
B7 C C7 G D C G B7 C C7 G D C G
[Verse 5]
G Em
A wife and five children
C Am
Who live in L.A.
F Am
They miss their dear daddy
G
Who's gone so far away
[Verse 6]
G Em
They still have his picture
C Am
It's hung on the wall
F Am
He's just an old hobo
G
Asleep out in the hall
[Chorus]
B7 C C7
He used to be a gambling man just like you
G D C
Until he sank so low there was nothing no one could do
B7 C C7
He used to be a gambling man just like you
G D C
Until he sank so low there was nothing no one could do
[Outro]
e |--------------------3---|
B |--------------------3---|
G |--------------------0---|
D |-2-0-0-0-0-0-2-0-0--0---|
A |-3-2-0-2-0-2-3-2-0--2---|
E |-------3----------3-3---|
| h Hammer-on
| p Pull-off
| / Slide up
| \ Slide down
| x Mute
| ~ Vibrato
How to play The Hobo Song
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 G. 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.