Jesse James chords by
Bruce Springsteen (Official Version)

2006Country211 views

Key: F majorDifficulty: Intermediate

Verse 1
Abadd9 Abadd9 
 
Ab Ab 
 
Jesse James was a lad
Db Db 
 
Ab Ab 
 
That killed many a man
Eb7 Eb7 
 
He robbed the Glendale train
Ab Ab 
 
He stole from the rich
Ab/C Ab/C 
 
Db Db 
 
Ab Ab 
 
And he gave to the poor
Eb7 Eb7 
 
Ab Ab 
 
He'd a hand and a heart and a brain

Verse 2
Ab Ab 
 
Well it was Robert Ford
Db Db 
 
Ab Ab 
 
That dirty little coward
Eb7 Eb7 
 
I wonder now how he feels
Ab Ab 
 
For he ate of Jesse's bread
Db Db 
 
Ab Ab 
 
And he slept in Jesse's bed
Eb7 Eb7 
 
Ab Ab 
 
And he laid poor Jesse in his grave

Chorus 1
Db Db 
 
Well Jesse had a wife
Ab Ab 
 
To mourn for his life
Eb7 Eb7 
 
Three children, now they were brave
Ab Ab 
 
Well that dirty little coward
Db Db 
 
Ab Ab 
 
That shot Mr. Howard
Eb7 Eb7 
 
Ab Ab 
 
He laid poor Jesse in his grave

Interlude 1

Eb7

Verse 3
Ab Ab 
 
Well Jesse was a man
Db Db 
 
Ab Ab 
 
A friend to the poor
Eb7 Eb7 
 
He'd never rob a mother or a child
Ab Ab 
 
There never was a man
Db Db 
 
Ab Ab 
 
with the law in his hand
Eb7 Eb7 
 
Ab Ab 
 
That could take Jesse James when alive

Verse 4
Ab Ab 
 
It was on  a Sunday night
Db Db 
 
Ab Ab 
 
Well the moon was shining bright
Eb7 Eb7 
 
They robbed the Glendale train
Ab Ab 
 
And the peo ple they did say
Db Db 
 
Ab Ab 
 
o'er many miles away
Eb7 Eb7 
 
Ab Ab 
 
It was those outlaws Frank and Jesse James

Chorus 2
Db Db 
 
Well Jesse had a wife
Ab Ab 
 
To mourn for his life
Eb7 Eb7 
 
Three children, now they were brave
Ab Ab 
 
Well that dirty little coward
Db Db 
 
Ab Ab 
 
That shot Mr. Howard
Eb7 Eb7 
 
Ab Ab 
 
He laid poor Jesse in his grave

Interlude 2

Eb7

Verse 5
Ab Ab 
 
Now the peo ple held their breath
Db Db 
 
Ab Ab 
 
When they heard of Jesse's death
Eb7 Eb7 
 
They wondered how he'd ever come to    fall
Ab Ab 
 
Robert Ford it was a fact
Db Db 
 
Ab Ab 
 
He shot Jesse in the back
Eb7 Eb7 
 
Ab Ab 
 
While Jesse hung a picture on the wall

Verse 6
Ab Ab 
 
Jesse went to rest
Db Db 
 
Ab Ab 
 
with his head on his breast
Eb7 Eb7 
 
The devil upon his knee
Ab Ab 
 
Db Db 
 
Ab Ab 
 
He was born one day in  County Clay
Eb7 Eb7 
 
Ab Ab 
 
And he came from a so    litary race

Chorus 3
Db Db 
 
Well Jesse had a wife
Ab Ab 
 
To mourn for his life
Eb7 Eb7 
 
Three children, now they were brave
Ab Ab 
 
Well that dirty little coward
Db Db 
 
Ab Ab 
 
That shot Mr. Howard
Eb7 Eb7 
 
Ab Ab 
 
He laid poor Jesse in his grave

Solo 1

Eb7

Solo 2

Eb7

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TunerE A D G B E

ChordsAbadd9 Ab Db Eb7 Ab/C

Chords

Abadd9
Ab
Db
Eb7
Ab/C

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

Abadd9: x-x-6-5-4-6
Ab: 4-6-6-5-4-4
Db: x-4-6-6-6-x
Eb7: x-x-1-3-2-3
Ab/C: 8-6-6-8-x-x

Capo: No capo

Transpose: 3

Accurately transcribed by the GuitarTuna team.

Barre chords ask a lot of the fretting hand. The barre course walks through hand position, pressure, and the cleanest way to land each shape. Practice barre chords

Add9 chords keep the major or minor triad and add a 9th on top, giving a brighter sound. A short course covers the shapes and where they fit. Learn add9 chords

This is the definitive original version of Jesse James by Bruce Springsteen, 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 F major. It is designed for guitarists ready to move past the basics and capture the true feel of Bruce Springsteen's performance.

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