John Barleycorn

[Verso 1]
 
      D          A          D 
There come three men out of Kent me boys 
       G            D         A 
For to plow for the wheat and rye 
    G           D          Bm     D 
And these three men made a solemn vow. 
D          Em        A 
John Barleycorn must die. 
 


[Verso 2]
 
         D               A              D 
So They plowed and they sowed and they harrowed him in 
         G         D        A 
and they sowed rye oer his head. 
    G           D          Bm      D 
And these three men home rejoicing went 
D          Em       A 
John Barleycorn was dead 
 


[Verso 3]
 
         D         A              D 
But The sun shone bright and the wind blew soft 
       G           D      A 
And it rained in a day or so 
G          D             Bm           D 
John Barleycorn felt the wind and the rain 
       D      Em     A 
and he soon began to grow 
 


[Verso 4]
 
        D     A      D 
But the rye began to grow as well 
        G        D        A 
And the rye grew slow and tall 
G          D         Bm        D 
John Barleycorn grew quick and short 
       D           Em    A 
And he proved them liars all 
 


[Verso 5]
 
         D     A        D 
So they hired men with sickles 
   G           D      A 
To cut him off at the knee 
        G        D        Bm    D 
But the worst of all John Barleycorn 
     D          Em       A 
They served him barbarously 
 


[Verso 6]
 
         D     A        D 
For they hired men with pikels 
   G        D      A 
To toss him onto a log 
    G         D           Bm    D 
And when they tossed John Barleycorn 
     D        Em        A 
They tied him down with cord 
 


[Verso 7]
 
         D     A        D 
And they hired men with threshels 
   G        D        A 
To beat him high and low 
     G           D          Bm          D 
They come smicka-smack upon poor Jacks back 
         D       Em     A 
Till the flesh began to flow 
 


[Verso 8]
 
            D       A        D 
Then.. they put him into the kiln me boys 
G           D       A 
Thinking to dry his bones 
    G            D        Bm    D 
And when he come out John Barleycorn 
     D             Em      A 
They crushed him between 2 stones 
 


[Verso 9]
 
         D       A        D 
And they put him into the mashing tub 
G           D        A 
Thinking to burn his tail 
    G            D        Bm          D 
And when he come out they changed his name 
    D               Em          A 
And they called him home brewed ale 
 

 
   D        A         D 
So put your wine into glasses 
         G        D       A 
And your cider in pewter cans 
    G          D           Bm        D 
Put John Barleycorn in the old brown jug 
       D          Em        A 
Cuz he proved the strongest man 
 

 
    D        A   D 
The ripe old air fuddle duddle aye 
       G        D    A 
To the ripe old airy o 
    G        D   Bm            D 
The ripe old air fuddle duddle aye 
       D        Em   A 
To the ripe old airy o