Capo III (Cm)  
(Please note this is not the original arrangement;  
I rearranged it to suit the limited skills  
of a camp fire player like myself) 

    Am                   C                       Am  
My shadow follows me wherever I should chance to go 
 C        G       Am  
John the Gun did say 
    Am                                 C             Am 
If you should chance to meet me, as I wander to and fro 
 C       G        Am   
Sad will be your day 

My life is mine and the light did shine,  
till the guns shot right through me 
So now I shall never fall 
Ideals of peace are gold which fools  
have found upon the plains of war 
I shall destroy them all 

 

[Refrão]
 Dm            C 
Put away your guns of steel 
       Dm                 C 
Death comes too soon for all 
      F              C             Em 
Your master he will need you soon 
     G                 Am 
And you will heed his call 

I am the master of the game 
That you will hardly ever play 
So I will teach your sons 
And if they should die 
Before the evening of their span of days 
Why, then they will die young 

(Chorus) 

Condemn me not 
For always have I played the game of war 
In moonshine or in sun 
And if any cross the path I choose to tread 
Their chances they are poor 
For I am John the Gun 

(Chorus)