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Frankie And Johnny

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Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

CFrankie and Johnny were lovers
COh lord how they could loveC7  
FThey swore to be true to each other
FJust as true as the Cdim7stars Cabove
A7He was her mD7anG7  
                 C(  C7   F   Fm   C) G7  
But he did her wrong
CFrankie went down to the bar room
CTo buy her Johnny a beerC7  
FSaid to the bartender
FHas my ever-lovin' Cdim7Johnny Cbeen here?
A7He is my mD7an G7  
                    C(  C7   F   Fm   C)     G7  
But he's doin' me wrong.
CI cannot tell you no story 
CI cannot tell you no lieC7  
FJohnny left about an hour ago
FWith a gal named Cdim7Nellie CBly
A7He is your mD7anG7  
                     C(  C7   F   Fm   C) G7  
But he's doin' you wrong.
CFrankie went down The Broadway
CWith a forty four in her handC7  
FSaid "Stand aside all you chorus gals
FI'm a-lookin' Cdim7for my Cman!"
A7He is my mD7anG7  
                    C(  C7   F   Fm   C) G7  
But he's doin' me wrong.
CThe first time she shot him he staggered
CThe next time she shot him he fellC7  
FThe last time she shot him oh lord
FThere was another man's Cdim7face in Chell
A7He was her mD7an G7  
                 C(  C7   F   Fm   C) G7  
But he did her wrong.
This is how I play it...with a bit of the melody cross-picked over the chords.
The lyrics are a variant on one of those collected by John and Alan Lomax and 
the chords are a little jazzier than the standard versions.

All chords in this song (8)

The story behind the song

"Frankie And Johnny" tells a classic American folk tale of love, betrayal, and a tragic act of passion. The lyrics unfold a dramatic story of Frankie, who finds her lover Johnny with another woman, leading to a fatal confrontation. It's a raw narrative steeped in the blues tradition, exploring themes of jealousy and heartbreak. Playing this song means stepping into a timeless story of love gone wrong, a poignant ballad of human frailty.

AI-written from these sources:

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Frankie And Johnny

Frankie And Johnny

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Frankie And Johnny

by Misc Traditional

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Cdim7

Frankie and Johnny were lovers

C C7

Oh lord how they could love

They swore to be true to each other

F Cdim7 C

Just as true as the stars above

A7 D7 G7

He was her man

C C7 F Fm C G7

( )

But he did her wrong

Frankie went down to the bar room

C C7

To buy her Johnny a beer

Said to the bartender

F Cdim7 C

Has my ever-lovin' Johnny been here?

A7 D7 G7

He is my man

C C7 F Fm C G7

( )

But he's doin' me wrong.

I cannot tell you no story

C C7

I cannot tell you no lie

Johnny left about an hour ago

F Cdim7 C

With a gal named Nellie Bly

A7 D7 G7

He is your man

C C7 F Fm C G7

( )

But he's doin' you wrong.

Frankie went down The Broadway

C C7

With a forty four in her hand

Said "Stand aside all you chorus gals

F Cdim7 C

I'm a-lookin' for my man!"

A7 D7 G7

He is my man

C C7 F Fm C G7

( )

But he's doin' me wrong.

The first time she shot him he staggered

C C7

The next time she shot him he fell

The last time she shot him oh lord

F Cdim7 C

There was another man's face in hell

A7 D7 G7

He was her man

C C7 F Fm C G7

( )

But he did her wrong.

This is how I play it...with a bit of the melody cross-picked over the chords.

The lyrics are a variant on one of those collected by John and Alan Lomax and

the chords are a little jazzier than the standard versions.

About Frankie And Johnny Chords by Misc Traditional

Learn how to play Frankie And Johnny by Misc Traditional with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Frankie And Johnny chords”, “Frankie And Johnny guitar chords”, or “Misc Traditional Frankie And Johnny 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 Frankie And Johnny chords and for experienced players who want accurate Frankie And Johnny lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C, C7, F, Cdim7, A7, D7.

FAQ — Frankie And Johnny by Misc Traditional

How do I play "Frankie And Johnny" by Misc Traditional on guitar?

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Can I transpose "Frankie And Johnny" to a different key?

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Yes. Tap any chord in "Frankie And Johnny" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Frankie And Johnny" easy to play on guitar?

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What key is "Frankie And Johnny" in?

The chords for "Frankie And Johnny" show the original chord names (including C, C7, F, Cdim7, A7, D7). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.