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St. James Infirmary Blues

Traditional, as performed by Arlo Guthrie

 

Capo 2

 

Intro:  Instrumental Verse

 

           Am (½)   E7 (½)   Am

It was down at old Joe's bar room

           Am (½)     Fmaj7 (½) C (½)   E7 (½)

At the corner      by the square

                 Am (½)   E7 (½)   Am (½)   Am/G (½)

They were serving drinks as usual

             Fmaj7 (½)   E7 (½)      Am

And the usual         crowd was there

 

            Am (½)    E7 (½)          Am

On my left stood big Joe MacKennedy

      Am (½)          Fmaj7 (½)  C (½)   E7 (½)

His eyes were bloodshot     red

                Am (½)           E7 (½)           Am (½)   Am/G (½)

And as he looked at the gang around him

             Fmaj7 (½)     E7 (½)           Am

These were the very words he said.

 

           Am (½)   E7 (½)        Am

I went down to St. James Infirmary

Am (½)            Fmaj7 (½)  C (½)   E7 (½)

     I saw my baby          there

               Am (½)   E7 (½)          Am (½)   Am/G (½)

Stretched out on a long, white table

      Fmaj7 (½)  E7 (½)    Am

So young, so   cold, so fair

 

Am (½)            E7 (½)        Am

     Seventeen coal-black horses

Am (½)           Fmaj7 (½)   C (½)   E7 (½)

Hitched to a rubber-tied hack

 Am (½)        E7 (½)          Am (½)   Am/G (½)

Seven girls goin' to the graveyard

         Fmaj7 (½)        E7 (½)    Am

Only six of them are coming back

 

 

 

 

 

 

            Am (½)        E7 (½)            Am

Let her go. Let her go, God bless her

Am (½)         Fmaj7 (½)  C (½)   E7 (½)

   Wherever she may     be

              Am (½)        E7 (½)        Am (½)   Am/G (½)

She may search this wide world over

                Fmaj7 (½)     E7 (½)    Am   

And never find another man like me

 

Instrumental Verse x2

 

Am (½)          E7 (½)    Am

        When I die just bury me

Am (½)       Fmaj7 (½)           C (½)   E7 (½)

      In my high-top Stetson hat

              Am (½)         E7 (½)                  Am (½)       Am/G (½)

Place a twenty-dollar gold piece on my watch chain

                Fmaj7 (½)    E7 (½)           Am    

To let the Lord know I died standing pat

 

           Am (½)              E7 (½)      Am

I want six crap-shooters for my pallbearers

      Am (½)         Fmaj7 (½)  C (½)   E7 (½)

A chorus girl to sing me a   song

            Am (½)          E7 (½)          Am (½)       Am/G (½)

Place a jazz band on my hearse wagon

       Fmaj7 (½)       E7 (½)       Am   

To raise hell as we roll along

 

Am (½)                       E7 (½)    Am

     Now that you've heard my story

Am (½)                        Fmaj7 (½)  C (½)   E7 (½)

      I'll take another shot of       booze

Am (½)                     E7 (½)       Am (½)    Am/G (½)

       And if anyone here should ask you

Fmaj7 (½)        E7 (½)       Am   

    I've got the gambler's blues

 

Instrumental Verse, end on Am

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  +  

This file is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song.  It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.

This file is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.