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Flanders and Swann - The Gnu Song Chords

Chord reference C, G, Dm, B7, Em, E7, F#
Rhythm tips ↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

[C]A year ago, last Thursday, I was [G]strolling in the zoo when I [Dm]met a man who [G]though he knew the [C]lot. He was [B7]laying down the [Em]law about the habits of [B7]baboons And the number of [Dm]quills a porcupine has [G]got.

So I asked him: “[C]What’s that creature [G]there?” He [Dm]answered, “Oh, it’s a [F]h’Elk” I [Em]might of gone on [Am]thinking that was [Dm]true If the animal in question hadn’t [A]put that chap to [Am]shame And re[Em]marked, “[F]I h’aint a h’Elk, I’m a G[E7]nu” [A]“I’m a Gnu, I’m a Gnu The gnicest work of gnature in the [Bm]zoo I’m a Gnu, [F#]how do you [Bm]do You [F#]really ought to know who’s w[Bm]ho’s [A]I’m a Gnu, spelt GNU I’m g[E7]not a Camel [A]or a Kangaroo [G]So [Bm]let me intro[Ab]duce I’m g[G]neither man or [F#m]moose Oh g[B7]no g[Em]no gno I’m a G[A]nu”

[D] [G] [D] [Em] [F] [A] [G]

[C]Well, I had taken furnished [Cm]lodgings down at [G]RustingtononSea [A]Whence I travelled [Am]on to Ashtonunder[Bm]Lyne And the [B7]second night I [Em]stayed there I was [B7]woken from a dream That I’ll [Dm]tell you all about some other [G]time Among the hunting [C]trophies on the wall above my [G]bed [C]Stuffed and [F]mounted, was a [Em]face I thought I [Dm]knew; A Bison? No, it’s not a Bison. An Okapi? Unlikely, Could it [A]be a [Am]Hartebeest? When I though I heard a voice…

[A]“I’m a Gnu, I’m a Gnu, a gnother gnu I wish I could gnash my teeth at [Bm]you I’m a Gnu, [F#]how do you [Bm]do You [F#]really ought to know who’s w[Bm]ho’s [A]I’m a Gnu, spelt GNU Call me [E7]Bison or Okapi and I’ll [A]sue G[B7]nor am I the least like that [Am]dreadful Hartebeest, Oh g[B7]no g[Em]no gno I’m a G[A]nu g[B7]no g[Em]no gno I’m a G[A]nu g[B7]no g[Em]no gno I’m a G[A]nu”

Album Single
Genres Pop
Year 1965
Key C

How to Play The Gnu Song on Guitar?

Flanders and Swann - The Gnu Song can be played in the key of C using the C, G, Dm, B7, Em, E7, F# chords.

  • For C, To play C, press fret 1 on the B string with finger 2, let low E, G, high E ring open, mute A, D.
  • For G, To play G, press fret 2 on the A string with finger 2, let D, G, B ring open, mute low E, high E.
  • For Dm, To play Dm, press fret 1 on the low E string with finger 2, press fret 1 on the high E string with finger 2, let A, D ring open, mute G, B.
  • For B7, To play B7, press fret 2 on the low E string with finger 3, press fret 1 on the D string with finger 2, press fret 2 on the G string with finger 3, press fret 2 on the high E string with finger 3, let A, B ring open.
  • For Em, To play Em, let low E, G, B, high E ring open, mute A, D.
  • For E7, To play E7, let low E, D, B, high E ring open, mute A, G.
  • For F#, To play F# | Gb, press fret 2 on the low E string with finger 3, press fret 1 on the A string with finger 2, press fret 2 on the B string with finger 3, press fret 2 on the high E string with finger 3, mute D, G.

Barre: Use your index finger to press multiple strings on the same fret, keeping your finger flat.

You can play The Gnu Song with the ↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑ strumming pattern.