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The Day John Henry Died chords by
Drive-by Truckers
Drive-by Truckers
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N/A•7 views•
Key: F major•
Verse 1
D
D

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I watched the rain; it settled in. We
G
G

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D
D

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disappeared for days again.
A
A

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Most of us were staying in,
G
G

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D
D

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lazy like the sky.

The letters flew across the wire
G
G

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D
D

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Bm
Bm
2

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filtered through a million liars.
D
D

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The whole world smelled like burning
G
G

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D
D

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tires the day John Henry died.
Verse 2
D
D

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A
A

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G
G

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We knew about that big machine that ran
D
D

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Bm
Bm
2

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on human hope and steam.
D
D

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A
A

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Bets on John were far between
G
G

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D
D

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and mostly on the side.
A
A

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G
G

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We heard he put up quite a fight. His hands
D
D

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Bm
Bm
2

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D
D

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and feet turned snowy white.
Bm
Bm
2

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D
D

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A
A

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That hammer rang out through the
G
G

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D
D

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night the day John Henry died.
A
A

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When John
Verse 3
Bm
Bm
2

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G
G

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D
D

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A
A

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Henry was a little bitty baby
Bm
Bm
2

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G
G

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D
D

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A
A

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nobody ever taught him how to read
Bm
Bm
2

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G
G

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D
D

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A
A

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But he knew the perfect way to hold a hammer
G
G

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D
D

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was the way the railroad baron held the deed.
Verse 4
Em
Em

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D
D

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A
A

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It didn't matter if he won,
D
D

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G
G

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Bm
Bm
2

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if he lived, or if he'd run.
D
D

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A
A

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They changed the way his job was
G
G

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D
D

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done. Labor costs were high.
A
A

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G
G

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That new machine was cheap as hell and
D
D

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Bm
Bm
2

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only John would work as well,
G
G

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D
D

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A
A

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So they left him laying where he fell
G
G

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the day John Henry died.
D
D

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Verse 5

Bm
Bm
2

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G
G

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D
D

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A
A

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John Henry was a steel-driving bastard bastard
Bm
Bm
2

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G
G

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D
D

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A
A

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but John Henry was a bastard just the same.
Bm
Bm
2

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G
G

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D
D

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A
A

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G
G

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An engine never thinks about his daddy and an en
D
D

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gine never needs to write its name.
Esus4
Esus4

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Verse 6
Em
Em

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D
D

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A
A

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So pack your bags, we're headed west
G
G

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D
D

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Bm
Bm
2

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and L.A. ain't no place to rest.
D
D

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A
A

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You'll need some sleep to pass the test,
G
G

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D
D

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so get some on the flight
A
A

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And say your prayers John Henry Ford 'cause
G
G

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D
D

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we don't need your work no more.
A
A

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G
G

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You should have known the final score the day John Henry died.
Outro 1
D
D

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A
A

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G
G

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D
D

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A
A

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G
G

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A
A

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D
D

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A
A

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G
G

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D
D

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Bm
Bm
2

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D
D

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A
A

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G
G

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D
D

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A
A

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G
G

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A
A

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D
D

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A
A

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D
D

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A
A

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G
G

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D
D

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A
A

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G
G

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D
D

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A
A

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G
G

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D
D

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A
A

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G
G

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An acoustic guitar head with tuning pegs

Tuning:Standard Open Tuner
Chords

  • D

  • G

  • A

  • Bm

    2

  • Em

  • Esus4

Capo: 3

Transpose: 0

0

Autoscroll20%

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Frequently asked questions

The original key of The Day John Henry Died by Drive-By Truckers is F major.

The primary chords used in The Day John Henry Died are F, Bb, C, Dm, Gm, Gsus4.

To play in the original key, place your capo on the 3 fret.

Yes, this version uses open chords like F, Bb, C, Dm, making it a great song for beginner guitarists.

The tempo of The Day John Henry Died is approximately 150 beats per minute.

You can easily change the key of The Day John Henry Died 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 The Day John Henry Died. 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 Drive-By Truckers.

Absolutely. Click the Save or Heart icon to add The Day John Henry Died 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 The Day John Henry Died by Drive-By Truckers on this page for free. We provide high-quality, verified chords to help you start playing immediately.