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St James Infirmary

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Aminor

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

1/54

Tempo 80 BPMVol

Sound:

Position

Step 1 / 54Position: 1

1 index2 middle3 ring4 pinkyO openSpace = play/pause

Instrumental Verse :
  E |--------------------------|--Am0--0--------E70-----------|
  B |--------------------1--3--|-----------1-----3--------|
  G |--------------------------|-----------------------0--|
  D |--------------------------|--------2-----------2-----|
  A |--------------------------|--0-----------------------|
  E |--------------------------|--------------0-----------|
       1  +  2  +  3  +  4  +     1  +  2  +  3  +  4  +
  E |--Am---------------------0--|--Am0--0--------Fmaj75--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  +
  E |--C------------E7---0-----0--|--Am5--0-----0--E70-----------|
  B |--------------------------|--------1-----------3-----|
  G |--------------------------|--------------------------|
  D |--------2-----------2-----|--------------------------|
  A |--3-----------2-----------|--0-----------3-----2-----|
  E |--------------------------|--------------------------|
       1  +  2  +  3  +  4  +     1  +  2  +  3  +  4  +
  E |--Am------------Am/G------------|--Fmaj7------------E7------------|
  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  +
  E |--Am------------------------|
  B |--------------------------|
  G |--------------------------|
  D |--------2----------2------|
  A |--0-----------------------|
  E |--------------0-----------|
       1  +  2  +  3  +  4  +
It was Amdown at E7old Joe'Ams bar room
At the cAmorner      Fmaj7by the CsquareE7  
They were Amserving E7drinks as AmusualAm/G  
And the Fmaj7usual         E7crowd was theAmre
On my Amleft stood E7big Joe MacAmKennedy
His Ameyes were bFmaj7loodshot     CredE7  
And as he lAmooked at the E7gang around AmhimAm/G  
These Fmaj7were the very E7words he saAmid.
I went Amdown to E7St. James AmInfirmary
     AmI saw my Fmaj7baby          CthereE7  
Stretched Amout on a E7long, white AmtableAm/G  
So Fmaj7young, so   cE7old, so Amfair
     AmSeventeen E7coal-black Amhorses
AmHitched to a Fmaj7rubber-tied ChackE7  
SAmeven girls E7goin' to the AmgraveyardAm/G  
Only Fmaj7six of them are E7coming Amback
Let her Amgo. Let her E7go, God bless hAmer
   AmWherever Fmaj7she may     CbeE7  
She may sAmearch this E7wide world AmoverAm/G  
And never Fmaj7find another E7man like Amme
  AmWhen I E7die just burAmy me
  AmIn my Fmaj7high-top Stetson ChatE7  
Place a Amtwenty-dollar E7gold piece on my Amwatch chaiAm/Gn
To let the Fmaj7Lord know I E7died standing Ampat
I want Amsix crap-shooters E7for my pAmallbearers
A AmChorus girl to Fmaj7sing me a   CsongE7  
Place a Amjazz band on E7my hearse AmwagonAm/G  
To Fmaj7raise hell as we E7roll alongAm  
 AmNow that you've E7heard my Amstory
  AmI'll take another Fmaj7shot of       CboozeE7  
  AmAnd if anyone E7here shouAmld ask yoAm/Gu
  Fmaj7I've got the E7gambler's Amblues
[Outro]
 Am

All chords in this song (5)

The story behind the song

"St. James Infirmary" finds Arlo Guthrie in a mournful, bluesy mood, painting a picture of loss and the sorrow that follows. The song's narrator wanders from "old Joe's bar room" to the infirmary, confronting the death of a loved one with a resigned "Let her go, God bless her." This classic folk and blues tune captures the feeling of a weary soul carrying the "gambler's blues," a heavy burden of fate and misfortune. It's a raw expression of grief and acceptance in the face of life's inevitable heartbreaks.

AI-written from these sources:Arlo Guthrie — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

Story time

St James Infirmary

St James Infirmary

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St James Infirmary

by Arlo Guthrie

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Fmaj7

Am/G

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 +

E |--------------------------|

B |--------------------------|

G |--------------------------|

D |--------2----------2------|

A |--0-----------------------|

E |--------------0-----------|

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

Am E7 Am

It was down at old Joe's bar room

Am Fmaj7 C E7

At the corner by the square

Am E7 Am Am/G

They were serving drinks as usual

Fmaj7 E7 Am

And the usual crowd was there

Am E7 Am

On my left stood big Joe MacKennedy

Am Fmaj7 C E7

His eyes were bloodshot red

Am E7 Am Am/G

And as he looked at the gang around him

Fmaj7 E7 Am

These were the very words he said.

Am E7 Am

I went down to St. James Infirmary

Am Fmaj7 C E7

I saw my baby there

Am E7 Am Am/G

Stretched out on a long, white table

Fmaj7 E7 Am

So young, so cold, so fair

Am E7 Am

Seventeen coal-black horses

Am Fmaj7 C E7

Hitched to a rubber-tied hack

Am E7 Am Am/G

Seven girls goin' to the graveyard

Fmaj7 E7 Am

Only six of them are coming back

Am E7 Am

Let her go. Let her go, God bless her

Am Fmaj7 C E7

Wherever she may be

Am E7 Am Am/G

She may search this wide world over

Fmaj7 E7 Am

And never find another man like me

Am E7 Am

When I die just bury me

Am Fmaj7 C E7

In my high-top Stetson hat

Am E7 Am Am/G

Place a twenty-dollar gold piece on my watch chain

Fmaj7 E7 Am

To let the Lord know I died standing pat

Am E7 Am

I want six crap-shooters for my pallbearers

Am Fmaj7 C E7

A Chorus girl to sing me a song

Am E7 Am Am/G

Place a jazz band on my hearse wagon

Fmaj7 E7 Am

To raise hell as we roll along

Am E7 Am

Now that you've heard my story

Am Fmaj7 C E7

I'll take another shot of booze

Am E7 Am Am/G

And if anyone here should ask you

Fmaj7 E7 Am

I've got the gambler's blues

[Outro]

About St James Infirmary Chords by Arlo Guthrie

Learn how to play St James Infirmary by Arlo Guthrie with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “St James Infirmary chords”, “St James Infirmary guitar chords”, or “Arlo Guthrie St James Infirmary 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 St James Infirmary chords and for experienced players who want accurate St James Infirmary lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Am, E7, E, B, G, D.

FAQ — St James Infirmary by Arlo Guthrie

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Yes. Tap any chord in "St James Infirmary" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "St James Infirmary" easy to play on guitar?

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What key is "St James Infirmary" in?

The chords for "St James Infirmary" show the original chord names (including Am, E7, E, B, G, D). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.