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Hey Joe

Chords

4.72,486 votes

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Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

-----------------------
[Chords]
 C#4/E044000
   Em7055000
     E022100
     C032010
     G320003
     D000232
     A002220
[Intro]
|  E   Em7   C#4/E| E  
[Verse 1]
CHey GJoe, Dwhere you Agoin’ with that Egun in your hEand?
  CHey GJoe, DI said Awhere you goin’ with that Egun in your hand,E  
  CI’m goin’ down to Gshoot my old lady,
  DYou know I Acaught her messin’ ‘round with another Eman,     Eyeah.
  CI’m goin’ down to Gshoot my old lady
  DYou know I Acaught her messin’ ‘round with another Eman
Huh! And that ain’t Etoo cool.
[Verse 2]
A Chey JoeG,   D  AI heard you shot your womEan down,
You shot her down now,E  
   CA hey GJoDe,   AI heard you shot your Eold lady down,
You shot her down in the ground, EYeah”
   CYes, I Gdid, I shot her,
   DYou know I Acaught her messin’ ‘round, Emessin’ ‘round townE,
Uh, Cyes I Gdid, I shot her.
   DYou know I Acaught my old lady messin’ ‘round Etown,
And I gave her the Egun, I shot her.
[Solo]
  C    G    D    A  EAlright, shoot her one more time again baby!
  C    G    D    A   EYeah! Dig it.
  C    G    D    A    E   EOh, alright.
[Verse 3]
   CHeGy Joe
  D   AWhere you gonna run Eto now, where you gonna run to?E  
 CHey GJoe, I said
  D   AWhere you gonna Erun to now, where you gonna go?E  
 CI’m goin’ Gway down south,
  D   AWay down to EMexico way.E  
 CI’m goin’ Gway down south,
  D   AWay down Ewhere I can be free,
Ain’t Eno one gonna find me.
[Outro]
 CAin’t no Ghangman gonna,
 DHe ain’t gonna put a Arope around Eme,
You better believe it Eright now,
I gotta go now,
  CHey GJoe,
  DYou better Arun on Edown
Goodbye everybody. EOw!

All chords in this song (7)

The story behind the song

"Hey Joe" tells a dramatic story of a man on the run after shooting his unfaithful wife. The lyrics unfold as a conversation between Joe and a friend, revealing Joe's intentions to escape to Mexico to evade capture. It's a tale of desperate flight and retribution, with some interpreting Joe's journey as a quest for freedom from oppression, while others see it as an unapologetic act of violence. Jimi Hendrix recorded this song as his first single with the Jimi Hendrix Experience, bringing his iconic guitar work to this powerful narrative. Playing this song means channeling the raw tension and urgency of Joe's flight.

AI-written from these sources:Hey Joe — Wikipedia ↗Jimi Hendrix — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

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Chord Book

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

Hey Joe

by Jimi Hendrix

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

C#4/E

Em7

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

[Chords]

C#4/E

044000

Em7

055000

022100

032010

320003

000232

002220

[Intro]

E Em7 C#4/E E

| |

[Verse 1]

C G D A E E

Hey Joe, where you goin’ with that gun in your hand?

C G D A E E

Hey Joe, I said where you goin’ with that gun in your hand,

C G

I’m goin’ down to shoot my old lady,

D A E E

You know I caught her messin’ ‘round with another man, yeah.

C G

I’m goin’ down to shoot my old lady

D A E

You know I caught her messin’ ‘round with another man

Huh! And that ain’t too cool.

[Verse 2]

C G D A E

A hey Joe, I heard you shot your woman down,

You shot her down now,

C G D A E

A hey Joe, I heard you shot your old lady down,

You shot her down in the ground, Yeah”

C G

Yes, I did, I shot her,

D A E E

You know I caught her messin’ ‘round, messin’ ‘round town,

C G

Uh, yes I did, I shot her.

D A E

You know I caught my old lady messin’ ‘round town,

And I gave her the gun, I shot her.

[Solo]

C G D A E

Alright, shoot her one more time again baby!

C G D A E

Yeah! Dig it.

C G D A E E

Oh, alright.

[Verse 3]

C G

Hey Joe

D A E E

Where you gonna run to now, where you gonna run to?

C G

Hey Joe, I said

D A E E

Where you gonna run to now, where you gonna go?

C G

I’m goin’ way down south,

D A E E

Way down to Mexico way.

C G

I’m goin’ way down south,

D A E

Way down where I can be free,

Ain’t no one gonna find me.

[Outro]

C G

Ain’t no hangman gonna,

D A E

He ain’t gonna put a rope around me,

You better believe it right now,

I gotta go now,

C G

Hey Joe,

D A E

You better run on down

Goodbye everybody. Ow!

About Hey Joe Chords by Jimi Hendrix

Learn how to play Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Hey Joe chords”, “Hey Joe guitar chords”, or “Jimi Hendrix Hey Joe 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 Hey Joe chords and for experienced players who want accurate Hey Joe lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C#4/E, Em7, E, C, G, D.

FAQ — Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix

How do I play "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix 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 "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix free?

Yes. The chords for "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Hey Joe" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Hey Joe"?

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

Is "Hey Joe" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Jimi Hendrix below.

What key is "Hey Joe" in?

The chords for "Hey Joe" show the original chord names (including C#4/E, Em7, E, C, G, D). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.