D: XX0232
Am: X02210
C: X32010
C/E: 032010
C/B: 022010
G: 32000X (omitting the e string)
Asus2: X02200
Esus4: 022200 (formed by depressing 1st on A with 2nd finger on D&G)
E7: 020100
B7sus4: 020200
[Intro]
Asus2 (arpeggiated strum 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.
[Chorus 1]
C Am
They've ploughed, they've sewn, they've harrowed him in,
C D Esus4 E7 E7sus4 E7
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.
[Chorus 2]
C C/E C/B Am
They've let him stand till Midsummer's Day,
C D Esus4 E7 E7sus4 E7
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.
[Chorus 3]
C C C/B Am
They've hired men with the sharp pitchforks,
C D Esus4 E7 E7sus4 E7
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.
[Chorus 4]
C C C/B Am
They've hired men with the crab tree sticks,
C D Esus4 E7 E7sus4 E7
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,
D C G Am Asus2 Am
And he’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.
[Chorus 5 & Coda]
C C C/B Am
The huntsman, he can't hunt the fox,
C D Esus4 E7 E7sus4 E7
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.
