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People Get Ready
Curtis Mayfield
Chords in parentheses anticipated (played early) one beat.
This version skips the key change up ½ step to avoid awkward barre chords.
Capo 1
| Chord Guide | |||
|
32 1 C: x32010 |
231
Am: x02210 |
134211
F: 133211 |
12
Em: 022000 |
|
231 Dm: xx0231 |
|||
/ C - - Am / - - - - / F - - C / - - - - / x2
Chorus:
C (Am)
People get ready
F (C)
There's a train a comin'
C (Am)
You don't need no baggage
F
(C)
You just get on board
C (Am)
All you need is faith
F
(C)
To hear the diesels hummin'
Em (Dm)
Don’t need no ticket
F (C)
You just thank the Lord
/ C - - Am / - - - - / F - - C / - - - - /
C (Am)
So people get ready
F (C)
There's a train to Jordan
C (Am)
Picking up passengers
F (C)
Coast to coast
C (Am)
Faith is the key
F (C)
Open the doors and board ‘em
Em (Dm)
There's hope for all
F (C)
Among those loved the most
/ C - - Am / - - - - / F - - C / - - - - /
C (Am)
There ain't no room
F (C)
For the hopeless sinner
C (Am)
Who would hurt all mankind
F (C)
Just to save his own
C (Am)
Have pity on those whose
F (C)
Chances grow thinner
Em (Dm)
For there’s no hiding place
F (C)
Against the kingdom's throne
Chorus 2:
C (Am)
So people get ready
F (C)
There's a train a comin'
C (Am)
You don't need no baggage
F (C)
You just get on board
C (Am)
All you need is faith
F (C)
To hear the diesels hummin'
Freely:
Em (hold)
Don’t need no ticket
F (hold)
C (hold)
You just thank the Lord
/ C - - Am / - - - - / F - - C (hold)
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.
A lot of my students have a theme song in my head, the way movies have theme songs. I taught this one to an elderly blind man who had moved to Seattle from the Deep South. He wanted to learn guitar so he could write songs for his grandson. Whenever I hear "People Get Ready," I think of the years I spent teaching Paul — a great blessing in my life.