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Telephone Blues (1950) chords by
Sonny Terry
Sonny Terry
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N/A•
Key: E major•
Verse 1
D
D

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Now, if you want higher wages let me
A
A

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D
D

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tell you what to do

You got to talk to the workers

in the shop with you.
A
A

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You got to build you a union,
D
D

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got to make it strong,

But if you all stick together,

boys, it won't be long.

You get shorter hours,

better working conditions,

Vacations with pay. Take your kids
Verse 2

to the seashore.
D
D

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G
G

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It ain't quite this simple,

so I better explain

Just why you got to ride

on the union train.
D
D

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A
A

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'Cause if you wait for the boss

to raise your pay,

We'll all be a- waitin' 'til Judgment

Day.
G
G

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We'll all be buried, gone to heaven,
D
D

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St. Peter'll be the straw boss

then.
Verse 3
D
D

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Now you know you're underpaid but
A
A

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the boss says you ain't;

He speeds up the work 'til you're 'bout

to faint.
D
D

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You may be down and out

, but you ain't beaten,

You can pass out a leaflet and

call a meetin'.

Talk it over, speak your mind,
G
G

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Decide to do somethin' about it.
Verse 4

Course, the boss may persuade

some poor damn fool

To go to your meetin' and act

like a stool.
D
D

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But you can always tell a stool,

though, that's a fact,

He's got a yaller streak a- runnin'
A
A

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down his back.

He doesn't have to stool,

he'll always get along

On what he takes out of blind men's cups.
Verse 5
G
G

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You got a union now,
D
D

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and you're sittin' pretty,

Put some of the boys on the steer
A
A

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D
D

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G
G

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ing committee.
D
D

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A
A

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G
G

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D
D

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The boss won't listen when one guy squawks,
A
A

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D
D

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But he's got to listen when

the union talks.

He'd better, be mighty lonely

Everybody decide to walk
Verse 6

out on him.
D
D

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Suppose they're working you so

hard it's just outrageous

And they're paying you

all starvation wages.
G
G

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You go to the boss and the boss would yell,

"Before I raise your pay I'd see you

all in hell."

Well, he's puffing a big seegar,
D
D

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feeling mighty slick

'Cause he thinks he's

got your union licked.
A
A

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Well, he looks out the window

and what does he see

But a thousand pickets,
G
G

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and they all agree:

He's a bastard, unfair,

slavedriver,

Bet he beats his wife!
Verse 7

Now, boys, you've come to the hardest time.
D
D

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The boss will try to bust your picket line.

He'll call out the police, the National Guard,
A
A

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They'll tell you it's a crime to
D
D

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have a union card.

They'll raid your meetin',

they'll hit you on the head,

They'll call every one of you a goddam red,


Unpatriotic, Japanese spies,

sabotaging national defense!
Verse 8
D
D

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G
G

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But out at Ford, here's what they found,

And out at Vultee, here's what they found,

And out at Allis- Chalmers,
D
D

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here's what they found,
A
A

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And down at Bethlehem, here's

what they found:

That if you don't let

red- baiting break you up,

And if you don't let stoolpigeons break you up,

G
G

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And if you don't let vigilantes

break you up,
D
D

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And if you don't let race hatred break you up,


You'll win. What

I mean, take it easy, but take it!

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An acoustic guitar head with tuning pegs

Tuning:Standard Open Tuner
Chords

  • D

  • A

  • G

Capo: 2

Transpose: 0

0

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Frequently asked questions

The original key of Telephone Blues (1950) by Sonny Terry is E major.

The primary chords used in Telephone Blues (1950) are E, B, A.

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

Yes, this version uses open chords like E, B, A, making it a great song for beginner guitarists.

The tempo of Telephone Blues (1950) is approximately 76 beats per minute.

You can easily change the key of Telephone Blues (1950) 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 Telephone Blues (1950). 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 Sonny Terry.

Absolutely. Click the Save or Heart icon to add Telephone Blues (1950) 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 Telephone Blues (1950) by Sonny Terry on this page for free. We provide high-quality, verified chords to help you start playing immediately.