Is Free Chord Book really free?

Yes. Free Chord Book is 100% free with no sign-up required. Access 670,000+ guitar chords, tabs, and lyrics for every song you want to learn.

How do I transpose chords to a different key?

Open any song and use the transpose buttons to move every chord up or down by half-steps. Perfect for singers who need a different key or capo players.

Can I see chord diagrams while I play?

Yes. Tap any chord in a song to instantly see its interactive guitar chord diagram, including alternate fingerings and variations.

What's the difference between guitar chords and guitar tabs?

Chords show you which strings to strum together (great for rhythm playing and singing). Tabs (tablature) show you exact note-by-note fingerings, which is great for solos, riffs, and fingerpicking.

Does Free Chord Book work on mobile?

Yes. Free Chord Book is fully responsive and works on phones, tablets, and desktops. Use auto-scroll to play hands-free. There is also a free iPhone app (The Chord Book) and Android app (Free Chords).

Is there an iPhone or Android app?

Yes. Download The Chord Book on the Apple App Store and Free Chords on Google Play. Same 670,000+ songs, transpose, tuner, and auto-scroll — 100% free.

Can I print guitar chords?

Yes. Open any song and tap the Print button next to Save. You'll get a branded chord sheet with the Chord Book logo, ready for practice.

Is there a built-in guitar tuner?

Yes. Free Chord Book includes a free online guitar tuner that uses your microphone and YIN pitch detection for accurate tuning in standard and alternate tunings.

How many songs are available?

Over 670,000 songs with chords, tabs, and lyrics — covering every genre, from rock and pop to country, indie, folk, and Hebrew songs.

Is Free Chord Book a good alternative to Ultimate Guitar?

Yes. Free Chord Book is a fast, ad-free, 100% free alternative to Ultimate Guitar with interactive chord diagrams, instant transpose, auto-scroll, and a built-in tuner — no account required.

SavedFavorites

Cotton Jenny

Chords

4.9277 votes

Listen

YouTubeYouTube SpotifySpotify AppleApple Music

Font15

KeyOriginal

Chords

Scroll

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

[Intro]
  G    C/G    G7    C/Gx4
[Verse]
GThere's a house on a hill 
By a Cworn down weathered old Gmill 
In the valley be-Dlow where the river winds 
There's no such thing as bad Gtimes 
GAnd a soft southern flame 
Oh CCotton Jenny's her Gname 
And she wakes me Dup when the sun goes down 
And the wheels of love go Ground 
[Chorus]
GWheels of love go Cround 
Love go Ground, love go Around 
What a joyful Dsound 
I ain't Ggot a penny for CCotton Jenny to Dspend 
But then the wheels go Ground
  G    C/G    G7    C/Gx2
[Verse]
GWhen a new day begins 
I go Cdown to the cotton Ggin 
And I make my Dtime worth while to them 
Then I climb back up a-Ggain 
GAnd she waits by the door 
Oh CCotton Jenny I'm Gsore 
And she rubs my Dfeet while the sun goes down 
And the wheel of love goes Ground
[Chorus]
GWheels of love go Cround 
Love go Ground, love go Around 
A joyful Dsound 
I ain't Ggot a penny for CCotton Jenny to Dspend 
But then the wheels go Ground 
  G    C/G    G7    C/Gx2
[Verse]
GIn the hot, sickly south 
When they Csay we'll shut my Gmouth 
I can never be Dfree from the cotton grind 
But I know I got what's Gmine 
GShe's a soft southern flame 
Oh CCotton Jenny's her Gname 
She wakes me Dup when the sun goes down
And the wheels of love go Ground
[Chorus]
GWheels of love go Cround 
Love go Ground, love go Around 
A joyful Dsound 
I ain't Ggot a penny for CCotton Jenny to Dspend 
But then the wheels go Ground 
G(reC/Gpeat G7and C/Gfade)

All chords in this song (6)

The story behind the song

"Cotton Jenny" is a song by Gordon Lightfoot from his 1971 album Summer Side of Life. It tells a story that evokes images of the American South, though a particular verse about the "hot, sickly south" was later omitted from some versions. The song paints a picture of a character named Cotton Jenny, inviting the listener to imagine her world and experiences. At its heart, it plays like a narrative journey into a specific time and place.

AI-written from these sources:Cotton Jenny — Wikipedia ↗Gordon Lightfoot — Wikipedia ↗

🎸 Tips from players

Got a tip for playing this song — capo position, easier chords, strumming? Be the first to share one.

Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

Cotton Jenny

by Gordon Lightfoot

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

C/G

[Intro]

G C/G G7 C/G

[Verse]

There's a house on a hill

C G

By a worn down weathered old mill

In the valley be-low where the river winds

There's no such thing as bad times

And a soft southern flame

C G

Oh Cotton Jenny's her name

And she wakes me up when the sun goes down

And the wheels of love go round

[Chorus]

G C

Wheels of love go round

G A

Love go round, love go round

What a joyful sound

G C D

I ain't got a penny for Cotton Jenny to spend

But then the wheels go round

G C/G G7 C/G

[Verse]

When a new day begins

C G

I go down to the cotton gin

And I make my time worth while to them

Then I climb back up a-gain

And she waits by the door

C G

Oh Cotton Jenny I'm sore

And she rubs my feet while the sun goes down

And the wheel of love goes round

[Chorus]

G C

Wheels of love go round

G A

Love go round, love go round

A joyful sound

G C D

I ain't got a penny for Cotton Jenny to spend

But then the wheels go round

G C/G G7 C/G

[Verse]

In the hot, sickly south

C G

When they say we'll shut my mouth

I can never be free from the cotton grind

But I know I got what's mine

She's a soft southern flame

C G

Oh Cotton Jenny's her name

She wakes me up when the sun goes down

And the wheels of love go round

[Chorus]

G C

Wheels of love go round

G A

Love go round, love go round

A joyful sound

G C D

I ain't got a penny for Cotton Jenny to spend

But then the wheels go round

G C/G G7 C/G

(repeat and fade)

About Cotton Jenny Chords by Gordon Lightfoot

Learn how to play Cotton Jenny by Gordon Lightfoot with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Cotton Jenny chords”, “Cotton Jenny guitar chords”, or “Gordon Lightfoot Cotton Jenny 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 Cotton Jenny chords and for experienced players who want accurate Cotton Jenny lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, C/G, G7, C, D, A.

FAQ — Cotton Jenny by Gordon Lightfoot

How do I play "Cotton Jenny" by Gordon Lightfoot on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Cotton Jenny" by Gordon Lightfoot 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 "Cotton Jenny" by Gordon Lightfoot free?

Yes. The chords for "Cotton Jenny" by Gordon Lightfoot are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Cotton Jenny" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Cotton Jenny" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Cotton Jenny"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Cotton Jenny" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Cotton Jenny" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Cotton Jenny" by Gordon Lightfoot with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Gordon Lightfoot below.

What key is "Cotton Jenny" in?

The chords for "Cotton Jenny" show the original chord names (including G, C/G, G7, C, D, A). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.