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My Name Is Emmett Till

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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuning: Standard
Sounds like Harris uses an open-D tuning here. If you don't want to retune 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Drop-D CHORDS
       D-A-D-G-B-e
D      0-0-0-2-3-2
G      5-5-0-0-3-3
A      x-0-2-2-2-0
Bm     x-2-4-4-3-2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 [Intro]
|  D| % | % | % |
[Verse 1]
DI was born a black boy
My Gname is Emmett Till
AWalked this earth for 14 years
GOne night I was Dkilled
For Dspeaking to a woman
      ´G
Whose skin was white as dough
That's a Dsin in Mississippi
But Dhow was I to Aknow?
[Verse 2]
I'd Dcome down from Chicago
To Gvisit with my kin
Up Athere I was a cheeky kid
I Gguess I always Dbeen
But the Dharm they put upon me
Was too Ghard for what I done
For DI was just a black boy
I Anever hurt no Done
[Interlude]
DOh oh oh Goh oh Doh
DOh oh oh Aoh oh Doh
[Verse 3]
They Dtook me from my uncle's house
GMose Wright was his name
He'd be Alater standing without hesiGtation
Point the Dblame
At the Dones who beat and cut me
And Gshot me with a gun
And Dthrew me in the river
Like I was Dtrash when they were Adone
[Verse 4]
I was Dsent back to my mother
At least Gwhat was left of me
She Akept my casket open
For the Gwhole wide world to Dsee
The Dawful desecration
And the Gevidence of hate
You Dcould not recognize me
The mutiAlation was so Dgreat
[Bridge]
BeBmcame a cry for justice then
To be Afinally fulfilled
All beGcause of me, a Dblack boy
My Aname was Emmett DTill
[Interlude]
DOh oh oh Goh oh Doh
DOh oh oh Aoh oh Doh
DOh oh oh Goh oh Doh
DOh oh oh Aoh oh Doh
[Verse 5]
Oh, that DI had rather lived
Till I was Gtoo old to die young
ANot miss all I left behind
GAll that might have Dcome
DSummer clouds above my head
The Ggrass beneath my feet
The Dwarmth of a good woman
Her Dkisses soft and Asweet
[Verse 6]
PerDhaps to be a father
With a Gblack boy of my own
AWatch him grow into a kinder Gworld
Than I had Dknown
Where Dno child would be murdered
For the Gcolor of his skin
And Dlove would be the only thing
InAside the hearts of Dmen
[Bridge]
They Bmsay the horror of that night
Is Ahaunting heaven still
Where GI am one more Dblack boy
My Aname is Emmett DTill
[Outro]
DOh oh oh Goh oh Doh
DOh oh oh Aoh oh Doh
DOh oh oh Goh oh Doh
DOh oh oh Aoh oh Doh

All chords in this song (4)

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My Name Is Emmett Till

by Emmylou Harris

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tuning: Standard

Sounds like Harris uses an open-D tuning here. If you don't want to retune

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Drop-D CHORDS

D-A-D-G-B-e

D 0-0-0-2-3-2

G 5-5-0-0-3-3

A x-0-2-2-2-0

Bm x-2-4-4-3-2

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Intro]

| | % | % | % |

[Verse 1]

I was born a black boy

My name is Emmett Till

Walked this earth for 14 years

G D

One night I was killed

For speaking to a woman

´G

Whose skin was white as dough

That's a sin in Mississippi

D A

But how was I to know?

[Verse 2]

I'd come down from Chicago

To visit with my kin

Up there I was a cheeky kid

G D

I guess I always been

But the harm they put upon me

Was too hard for what I done

For I was just a black boy

A D

I never hurt no one

[Interlude]

D G D

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

D A D

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

[Verse 3]

They took me from my uncle's house

Mose Wright was his name

A G

He'd be later standing without hesitation

Point the blame

At the ones who beat and cut me

And shot me with a gun

And threw me in the river

D A

Like I was trash when they were done

[Verse 4]

I was sent back to my mother

At least what was left of me

She kept my casket open

G D

For the whole wide world to see

The awful desecration

And the evidence of hate

You could not recognize me

A D

The mutilation was so great

[Bridge]

Became a cry for justice then

To be finally fulfilled

G D

All because of me, a black boy

A D

My name was Emmett Till

[Interlude]

D G D

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

D A D

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

D G D

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

D A D

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

[Verse 5]

Oh, that I had rather lived

Till I was too old to die young

Not miss all I left behind

G D

All that might have come

Summer clouds above my head

The grass beneath my feet

The warmth of a good woman

D A

Her kisses soft and sweet

[Verse 6]

Perhaps to be a father

With a black boy of my own

A G

Watch him grow into a kinder world

Than I had known

Where no child would be murdered

For the color of his skin

And love would be the only thing

A D

Inside the hearts of men

[Bridge]

They say the horror of that night

Is haunting heaven still

G D

Where I am one more black boy

A D

My name is Emmett Till

[Outro]

D G D

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

D A D

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

D G D

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

D A D

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

About My Name Is Emmett Till Chords by Emmylou Harris

Learn how to play My Name Is Emmett Till by Emmylou Harris with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “My Name Is Emmett Till chords”, “My Name Is Emmett Till guitar chords”, or “Emmylou Harris My Name Is Emmett Till chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy My Name Is Emmett Till chords and for experienced players who want accurate My Name Is Emmett Till lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include D, A, G, B, Bm.

FAQ — My Name Is Emmett Till by Emmylou Harris

How do I play "My Name Is Emmett Till" by Emmylou Harris on guitar?

Open the free chords for "My Name Is Emmett Till" by Emmylou Harris on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "My Name Is Emmett Till" by Emmylou Harris free?

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Can I transpose "My Name Is Emmett Till" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "My Name Is Emmett Till" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "My Name Is Emmett Till"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "My Name Is Emmett Till" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "My Name Is Emmett Till" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "My Name Is Emmett Till" by Emmylou Harris with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Emmylou Harris below.

What key is "My Name Is Emmett Till" in?

The chords for "My Name Is Emmett Till" show the original chord names (including D, A, G, B, Bm). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.