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Jack-A-Roe

Chords

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AmThere was a wealthy Cmerchant, in London he did E7dwell,
He Amhad a beautiful Cdaughter, the Ftruth to you we'll Ctell,
AmOh, the E7truth to you we'll Amtell.
AmShe had sweethearts a-pClenty and men of high dE7egree,
But Amnone but Jack the Csailor her Ftrue love ever Cbe,
AmOh, her E7true love ever Ambe.
AmJackie's gone a-Csailing with trouble on his E7mind,
He's Amleft his native Ccountry and his Fdarling girl Cbehind,
AmOh, his E7darling girl Ambehind.
AmShe went down to a tailor Cshop and dressed in man's E7array,
She Amclimbed aboard a Cvessel and Fconveyed herself Caway,
AmOh, conveyed E7herself Amaway.
AmBefore you get on board, Csir, our name we'd like to E7know,
She Amsmiled on her Ccountenance, they Fcall me CJack-a-Roe,
AmOh, they E7call me JAmack-a-Roe.
AmI see your waist is Cslender, your fingers they are E7small,
Your Amcheeks too red and Crosy to Fface the Ccannonball,
AmOh to fE7ace the cAmannonball.
AmI know my waist's too Cslender, my fingers they are E7small,
But Amit would not make me Ctremble to Fsee ten thousand Cfall,
AmOh to sE7ee ten thousand fAmall.
  Am    C    E7    Am    C    F    C    Am    E7    Amx2
AmThe war soon being Cover she went and looked E7around,
Among the dAmead and wouCnded her dFarling boy she fCound,
AmOh her dE7arling boy she fAmound.
AmShe picked him up on in her Carms and carried him to E7town,
She sAment for a Cphysician to Fquickly heal his Cwounds,
AmOh to quickly E7heal his Amwounds.
AmThis couple they got Cmarried, so well did they aE7gree,
This Amcouple they got Cmarried, so Fwhy not you and Cme?
AmOh why not E7you and Amme?

All chords in this song (4)

The story behind the song

"Jack-A-Roe" is a folk song brought to life by the Grateful Dead, a band celebrated for its eclectic blend of rock, blues, jazz, folk, and country, alongside their legendary improvisational live shows. This track fits right into their world, touching on the kind of musical ground that defined their unique sound. The Grateful Dead, formed in 1965 in the heart of the 1960s counterculture, were known for their devoted fanbase and their pioneering spirit in the jam band world. Playing this song can feel like stepping into a long-standing musical tradition, filtered through their distinctive psychedelic lens.

AI-written from these sources:Grateful Dead — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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Jack-A-Roe

by Grateful Dead

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Am C E7

There was a wealthy merchant, in London he did dwell,

Am C F C

He had a beautiful daughter, the truth to you we'll tell,

Am E7 Am

Oh, the truth to you we'll tell.

Am C E7

She had sweethearts a-plenty and men of high degree,

Am C F C

But none but Jack the sailor her true love ever be,

Am E7 Am

Oh, her true love ever be.

Am C E7

Jackie's gone a-sailing with trouble on his mind,

Am C F C

He's left his native country and his darling girl behind,

Am E7 Am

Oh, his darling girl behind.

Am C E7

She went down to a tailor shop and dressed in man's array,

Am C F C

She climbed aboard a vessel and conveyed herself away,

Am E7 Am

Oh, conveyed herself away.

Am C E7

Before you get on board, sir, our name we'd like to know,

Am C F C

She smiled on her countenance, they call me Jack-a-Roe,

Am E7 Am

Oh, they call me Jack-a-Roe.

Am C E7

I see your waist is slender, your fingers they are small,

Am C F C

Your cheeks too red and rosy to face the cannonball,

Am E7 Am

Oh to face the cannonball.

Am C E7

I know my waist's too slender, my fingers they are small,

Am C F C

But it would not make me tremble to see ten thousand fall,

Am E7 Am

Oh to see ten thousand fall.

Am C E7 Am C F C Am E7 Am

Am C E7

The war soon being over she went and looked around,

Am C F C

Among the dead and wounded her darling boy she found,

Am E7 Am

Oh her darling boy she found.

Am C E7

She picked him up on in her arms and carried him to town,

Am C F C

She sent for a physician to quickly heal his wounds,

Am E7 Am

Oh to quickly heal his wounds.

Am C E7

This couple they got married, so well did they agree,

Am C F C

This couple they got married, so why not you and me?

Am E7 Am

Oh why not you and me?

About Jack-A-Roe Chords by Grateful Dead

Learn how to play Jack-A-Roe by Grateful Dead with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Jack-A-Roe chords”, “Jack-A-Roe guitar chords”, or “Grateful Dead Jack-A-Roe 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 Jack-A-Roe chords and for experienced players who want accurate Jack-A-Roe lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Am, C, E7, F.

FAQ — Jack-A-Roe by Grateful Dead

How do I play "Jack-A-Roe" by Grateful Dead on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Jack-A-Roe" by Grateful Dead 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 "Jack-A-Roe" by Grateful Dead free?

Yes. The chords for "Jack-A-Roe" by Grateful Dead are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Jack-A-Roe" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Jack-A-Roe"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Jack-A-Roe" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Jack-A-Roe" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Jack-A-Roe" by Grateful Dead with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Grateful Dead below.

What key is "Jack-A-Roe" in?

The chords for "Jack-A-Roe" show the original chord names (including Am, C, E7, F). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.