Old City Jail chords by
Bill Staines

N/A•

Key: A major•

Verse 1

Em

Em

View detailed Em chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

When I first

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

come around to this city

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

I was working my way by the track

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Em

Em

View detailed Em chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Took a job from a man

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

with some coin in his hand

Am

Am

View detailed Am chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

But the job put the law on my back

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

So they hauled me on down

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

to the courthouse

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

And the judge didn't like me at all

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Em

Em

View detailed Em chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Ninety days in a cell,

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

and he fined me as well

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Left me in here behind these old walls

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

I wish I were out on the railway

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

I remember back workin' the rails

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Em

Em

View detailed Em chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

When the cale gave a shout,

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

and the hammers rang out

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

Now it's only this old city jail

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

The life, it was tough, I can tell ya,

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

And the going got rough as could be.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Em

Em

View detailed Em chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

But a dollar a day,

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

put a nip in your take,

Am

Am

View detailed Am chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

It was better than working for free.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

When I went to my rest in the evening,

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

I could look past the stars overhead.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Em

Em

View detailed Em chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Now the light from the lamp

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

and the smell of the damp

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Are all that are left of me instead

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

I wish I were out on the railway

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

I remember back working the bares

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Em

Em

View detailed Em chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

When the cale gave a shout

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

and the hammers rang out

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Em

Em

View detailed Em chord diagram in our app.

Now it's only this old city jail

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

Am

Am

View detailed Am chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Em

Em

View detailed Em chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

I dream now, I dream of the en gines

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

Pulling by me in elegant style

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Em

Em

View detailed Em chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

And the sound of the mall,

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

the old work whistles call

Am

Am

View detailed Am chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

And the four hundred rails to the mile

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

I think of the old generation

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Of the crews and the tri -level cars

Em

Em

View detailed Em chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

How I wish I were back

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

on that old northern track

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

And to hell with these rusty old bars,

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

I wish I were out on the railway,

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

I remember back working the rails

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Em

Em

View detailed Em chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

When McHale gave a shout,

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

and the hammers rang out,

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

Now it's only the Soul City Jail

Em

Em

View detailed Em chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

When McHale gave a shout,

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

and the hammers rang out,

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

Now it's only the Soul City

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

Em

Em

View detailed Em chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

C

C

View detailed C chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

D

D

View detailed D chord diagram in our app.

G

G

View detailed G chord diagram in our app.

Jail

You

How did you like the song?

You need to log in to leave a rating.

An acoustic guitar head with tuning pegs

Tuning:Standard Open Tuner

E ₂

A ₂

D ₃

G ₃

B ₃

E ₄

Guitar Tuner 7 Strings

B ₁

E ₂

A ₂

D ₃

G ₃

B ₃

E ₄

Guitar Tuner 12 stringStandard

E ₃

E ₂

A ₃

A ₂

D ₄

D ₃

G ₄

G ₃

B ₃

B ₃

E ₄

E ₄

Guitar Tuner 6 stringPower

Guitar Tuner 6 stringOpen

Guitar Tuner 6 stringExtras

G ₄

C ₄

E ₄

A ₄

CavaquinhoStandard

D ₄

G ₄

B ₄

D ₅

E ₁

A ₁

D ₂

G ₂

Bass Tuner 5 Strings

B ₀

E ₁

A ₁

D ₂

G ₂

G ₃

D ₄

A ₄

E ₅

C ₃

G ₃

D ₄

A ₄

C ₂

G ₂

D ₃

A ₃

G ₃

D ₄

A ₄

E ₅

G ₃

G ₃

D ₄

D ₄

A ₄

A ₄

E ₅

E ₅

Balalaika Tuner

E ₄

E ₄

A ₄

G ₄

D ₃

G ₃

B ₃

D ₄

Banjo Tuner 4 Strings

C ₃

G ₃

D ₄

A ₄

An acoustic guitar head with tuning pegs

Tuning:Standard Open Tuner

E ₂

A ₂

D ₃

G ₃

B ₃

E ₄

Guitar Tuner 7 Strings

B ₁

E ₂

A ₂

D ₃

G ₃

B ₃

E ₄

Guitar Tuner 12 stringStandard

E ₃

E ₂

A ₃

A ₂

D ₄

D ₃

G ₄

G ₃

B ₃

B ₃

E ₄

E ₄

Guitar Tuner 6 stringPower

Guitar Tuner 6 stringOpen

Guitar Tuner 6 stringExtras

G ₄

C ₄

E ₄

A ₄

CavaquinhoStandard

D ₄

G ₄

B ₄

D ₅

E ₁

A ₁

D ₂

G ₂

Bass Tuner 5 Strings

B ₀

E ₁

A ₁

D ₂

G ₂

G ₃

D ₄

A ₄

E ₅

C ₃

G ₃

D ₄

A ₄

C ₂

G ₂

D ₃

A ₃

G ₃

D ₄

A ₄

E ₅

G ₃

G ₃

D ₄

D ₄

A ₄

A ₄

E ₅

E ₅

Balalaika Tuner

E ₄

E ₄

A ₄

G ₄

D ₃

G ₃

B ₃

D ₄

Banjo Tuner 4 Strings

C ₃

G ₃

D ₄

A ₄

Chords

Em
D
C
G
Am

Capo: 2

Transpose: 0

0

Autoscroll20%

More songs by Bill Staines

Discover chords for more songs to play

This Song Is For The Birds

henri leblanc

the fox

less of me

A Cowboy's Hard Times

I Must Be Going Home

the logging song

Related songs

Discover chords for more songs to play

This Song Is For The Birds

Bill Staines

Drivers License

Olivia Rodrigo

American Pie

Don McLean

Behind Blue Eyes

The Who

Yellow

Coldplay

henri leblanc

Bill Staines

Let It Be

The Beatles

Popular chords globally

Most played chords & tabs across all users

1

Perfect

Ed Sheeran

2

Creep

Radiohead

3

Yellow

Coldplay

4

Boulevard Of Broken Dreams

Green Day

5

Zombie

The Cranberries

6

Wonderwall

Oasis

7

Knockin' On Heaven's Door

Bob Dylan

Recently added

Recently added chords & tabs

Captivate Us

Watermark

Lonely Fight

Mk.gee

How Many Miles

Mk.gee

Candy

Mk.gee

Earrings

Malcolm Todd

Roommates

Malcolm Todd

4me 4me

Malcolm Todd

Frequently asked questions

The original key of Old City Jail by Bill Staines is A major.

The primary chords used in Old City Jail are F#m, E, D, A, Bm.

To play in the original key, place your capo on the 2 fret.

Yes, this version uses open chords like F#m, E, D, A, making it a great song for beginner guitarists.

The tempo of Old City Jail is approximately 94 beats per minute.

You can easily change the key of Old City Jail using our Transpose button located in the toolbar. This will automatically update all chord diagrams on the page to match your new key.

Yes! Click the Print icon to generate a clean, one-page version of the chords and lyrics for Old City Jail. This is perfect for practicing offline or adding to a physical songbook.

Yes, we have integrated a Mini-Tuner directly on this page. Use it to quickly check your string pitch (Standard Tuning: E A D G B E) before you start playing along with Bill Staines.

Absolutely. Click the Save or Heart icon to add Old City Jail to your account. You can access all your saved songs under My Library at any time.

You can view the full chord sheet and lyrics for Old City Jail by Bill Staines on this page for free. We provide high-quality, verified chords to help you start playing immediately.