Empty Garden (Hey, Hey Johnny) chords by Elton John (Official Version)

GuitarPianoUkulele

Verse 1
A/E 
What  (A/E) happened here
E 
as the New York sunset  (E major) disappeared?
B 
I found an empty garden  (B major) 
C#m 
among the flagstones there  (C sharp minor) 
A/E 
Who  (A/E) lived here?
He must have been a gardener
E 
that  (E major) cared a lot
Who weeded out the tears
B 
and grew a  (B major) good crop
C#m 
Now it all looks strange  (C sharp minor) 
B/A 
A 
It's funny how one  (B/A) in     (A major) sect
B7 
E 
can damage  (B7) so much grain  (E major) 

Verse 2
A/E 
And  (A/E) what's it for?
This little empty garden
E 
by the  (E major) brownstone door
B 
And in the cracks along the  (B major) sidewalk,
C#m 
nothin' grows no more  (C sharp minor) 
A/E 
Who  (A/E) lived here?
He must have been a gardener
E 
that  (E major) cared a lot
Who weeded out the tears
B 
and grew a  (B major) good crop
C#m 
And we are so amazed,  (C sharp minor) 
B/A 
A 
we're crippled and we're dazed  (B/A)  (A major) 
B7 
A gardener like that  (B7) one,
E 
no one can replace  (E major) 

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Chorus 1

And I've been knockin',

but no one answers

And I've been knockin'

most of the day

Oh, and I've been callin',

"oh, hey, hey, Johnny

Can't you come out to play?"

Verse 3
A/E 
And  (A/E) through their tears
Some say he farmed his best
E 
in  (E major) younger years
But he'd have said
B 
that roots grow  (B major) stronger,
C#m 
if only he could hear  (C sharp minor) 
A/E 
Who  (A/E) lived here?
He must have been a gardener
E 
that  (E major) cared a lot
Who weeded out the tears
B 
and grew a  (B major) good crop
C#m 
Now we pray for rain,  (C sharp minor) 
B/A 
A 
and with every drop that  (B/A) falls  (A major) 
B7 
E 
We hear,  (B7) we hear your name  (E major) 

Chorus 2
A 
And I've been  (A major) knockin',
E 
but no one  (E major) answers
A 
And I've been  (A major) knockin'
C#m 
most of the day  (C sharp minor) 
F#m 
Oh, and I've been  (F sharp minor) callin',
C#m 
"oh, hey, hey,  (C sharp minor) Johnny
A 
B7 
E 
Can't you come  (A major) out  (B7) to play?"  (E major) 

Chorus 3
A 
And I've been  (A major) knockin',
E 
but no one  (E major) answers
A 
And I've been  (A major) knockin'
C#m 
most of the day  (C sharp minor) 
F#m 
Oh, and I've been  (F sharp minor) callin',
C#m 
"oh, hey, hey,  (C sharp minor) Johnny
A 
Can't you come out?  (A major) 
B7 
 (B7) Can you come out to

Outro 1
E 
F#m 
A 
B7 
(play?")  (E major) Johnny,  (F sharp minor)  (A major) can't you come out to play  (B7) 
E 
in your empty garden?  (E major) 
F#m 
A 
B7 
Johnny,  (F sharp minor)  (A major) can't you come out to play  (B7) 
E 
in your empty garden?  (E major) 
F#m 
A 
B7 
Johnny,  (F sharp minor)  (A major) can't you come out to play  (B7) 
E 
in your empty garden?  (E major) 
F#m 
A 
B7 
Johnny,  (F sharp minor)  (A major) can't you come out to play  (B7) 
in your empty garden?
[Repeat and fade]

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GuitarPianoUkulele

Tuning: E A D G B EDifficulty: IntermediateKey: E majorBPM: 110

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Finger positions, low to high (E A D G B e). 0 is open, x is muted.

A/E: 0-x-2-2-2-0
E: 0-2-2-1-0-0
B: x-2-4-4-4-x
C#m: x-4-6-6-5-x
B/A: x-0-4-4-4-x
A: x-0-2-2-2-0
B7: x-2-1-2-0-2
F#m: 2-4-4-2-2-2

Accurately transcribed by the GuitarTuna team.

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This is the definitive original version of Empty Garden (Hey, Hey Johnny) by Elton John, transcribed exactly as it was recorded in the studio. Unlike our simplified arrangement, this chart preserves the precise chord voicings and progressions in the original key of E major. It is designed for guitarists ready to move past the basics and capture the true feel of Elton John's performance.