John Barleycorn Must Die Acoustic chords by Steve Winwood

Chords with lyrics

Capo 7th fret


INTRO:
Asus2Asus2 (arpeggiated down and up)
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|


VERSE 1:
D MajorD        A minorAm    C majorC  G+G   A minorAm
There were three men came out of the west,
D MajorD   C majorC    G+G   Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2
Their fortunes for to try.
D MajorD        A minorAm C majorC   G+G   Am-Asus2-Am
And these three men made a solemn oath,
D MajorD     C majorC  G+G  Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2
John Barleycorn must die.

CHORUS 1:
C majorC         G+G           A minorAm
They've ploughed, they've sewn, they've harrowed him in,
   C majorC    D MajorD   Esus4-E
Threw clods upon his head.
DmDm       A minorAm C majorC   G+G   Am-Asus2-Am
And these three men made a solemn oath,
D MajorD     C majorC  G+G  Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2
John Barleycorn was dead.


INSTRUMENTAL 1:
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|


VERSE 2:
D MajorD        A minorAm    C majorC  G+G  A minorAm
They've let him lie for a very long time,
D MajorD       C majorC    G+G   Am-Asus2-Am
Till the rains from heaven did fall.
D MajorD       A minorAm  C majorC   G+G   Am-Asus2-Am
And little Sir John sprung up his head,
D MajorD   C majorC   G+G  Am-Asus2-Am
and so amazed them all.


CHORUS 2:
C majorC        G+G       A minorAm
They've let him stand till Midsummer's Day,
   C majorC       D MajorD    Esus4-E
Till he looked both pale and wan.
DmDm       A minorAm C majorC   G+G   Am-Asus2-Am
And these three men made a solemn oath,
D MajorD    C majorC  G+G   Am-Asus2-Am
On poor John Barleycorn.

INSTRUMENTAL 2:
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|


VERSE 3:
D MajorD         A minorAm    C majorC    G+G A minorAm
They've hired men with the scythes so sharp,
D MajorD     C majorC   G+G  Am-Asus2-Am
To cut him off at the knee.
D MajorD           A minorAm    C majorC G+G  Am-Asus2-Am
They've rolled him and tied him by the waist,
D MajorD        C majorC G+G   Am-Asus2-Am
Serving him most barbarously.


CHORUS 3:
C majorC         G+G    A minorAm
They've hired men with the sharp pitchforks,
  C majorC      D MajorD   Esus4-E
Who pricked him to the heart.
DmDm       A minorAm   C majorC   G+G     Am-Asus2-Am
And the loader he has served him worse than that,
D MajorD    C majorC     G+G   Am-Asus2-Am
For he's bound him to the cart.


INSTRUMENTAL 3:
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|


VERSE 4:
D MajorD          A minorAm     C majorC   G+G  A minorAm
They've wheeled him around and around the field,
D MajorD     C majorC  G+G   Am-Asus2-Am
Till they came unto a barn.
D MajorD       A minorAm   C majorC G+G  Am-Asus2-Am
And there they made a solemn oath,
D MajorD      C majorC G+G Am-Asus2-Am
On poor John Barleycorn.


CHORUS 4:
C majorC         G+G    A minorAm
They've hired men with the crab-tree sticks,
  C majorC      D MajorD  Esus4-E
To cut him skin from bone.
DmDm          A minorAm     C majorC   G+G  Am-Asus2-Am
And the miller he has served him worse than that,
D MajorD          C majorC    G+G  Am-Asus2-Am
For he's ground him between two stones.


INSTRUMENTAL 4:
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|(Mmm-oooh)
|D MajorD C majorC G+G Am-Asus2 Am-Asus2|(Who-oooh)


VERSE 5:
D MajorD          A minorAm   C majorC  G+G   A minorAm
And little Sir John and the nut-brown bowl,
  C majorC      D MajorD  Esus4-E
And he?s brandy in the glass.
D MajorD          A minorAm   C majorC  G+G   Am-Asus2-Am
And little Sir John and the nut-brown bowl,
D MajorD        C majorC  G+G   Am-Asus2-Am
Proved the strongest man at last.


CHORUS 5 & CODA:
C majorC           G+G    A minorAm
The huntsman, he can't hunt the fox,
  C majorC      D MajorD    Esus4-E
Nor so loudly to blow his horn.
DmDm       A minorAm    C majorC  G+G     Am-Asus2-Am
And the tinker he can't mend kettle nor pots,
D MajorD     C majorC   G+G   A minorAm (Slowed tempo, arpeggio and fade, on last line)
Without a little Barleycorn.


[End]


Notes.
1. This version has particular quirks that are unique, as it is a solo acoustic performance.
2. Traffic?s original album ?John Barleycorn Must Die? featuring ?John Barleycorn (Must Die)?
was released forty-five years ago in July, 1970.