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.