How to Play St. James Infirmary Blues on Guitar?

Ramblin' Jack Elliott - St. James Infirmary Blues can be played in the key of Em using the Em, B7, C7, Am chords. For Em, To play Em, let low E, G, B, high E ring open, mute A, D. 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 C7, To play C7, press fret 1 on the B string with finger 2, let low E, G, high E ring open, mute A, D. For Am, To play Am, press fret 1 on the B string with finger 2, let low E, A, high E ring open, mute D, G. Barre: Use your index finger to press multiple strings on the same fret, keeping your finger flat. You can play St. James Infirmary Blues with the ↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑ strumming pattern.

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott - St. James Infirmary Blues Chords

Chord reference Em, B7, C7, Am

Rhythm tips ↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

[Em]I went down to [B7]Old Joe’s [Em]Bar room. [Em]On the corner [Am]by the [B7]square. They were [Em]serving [B7]drinks as [Em]usual. And the [C7]usual [B7]crowd was [Em]there.

[Em]On my left stood [B7]Joe Mac[Em]Kennedy. [Em]His eyes were [Am]blood shot [B7]red. He [Em]turned to the [B7]crowd a[Em]round him And [C7]these are the [B7]words that he [Em]said.

[Em]I went down to [B7]St. James [Em]Infirmary. [Em]I saw my [Am]baby [B7]there. [Em]Lying on a [B7]long white [Em]table, So [C7]sweet, [B7]so cold, [Em]so fair.

[Em]I went up to [B7]see the [Em]doctor. [Em]’She’s very [Am]low,’ he [B7]said. [Em]I went back to [B7]see my [Em]baby And great [C7]god she was [B7]lying there [Em]dead.

[Em]Let her go, let her [B7]go, God [Em]bless her. [Em]Wherever [Am]she may [B7]be. She may [Em]search this [B7]wide world [Em]over But she’ll never [C7]find another [B7]man like [Em]me.

[Em]When I [B7]die please [Em]bury me [Em]In a high top [Am]stetson [B7]hat. Put a [Em]gold piece [B7]on my [Em]watch chain. So they’ll [C7]know I died [B7]standing [Em]pat.

[Em]Get six gamblers to [B7]carry my [Em]coffin. [Em]Six chorus girls to [Am]sing my [B7]song. Put a [Em]jazz band [B7]on my [Em]tailgate To raise [C7]hell as we [B7]roll a[Em]long.

[Em]This is the [B7]end of my [Em]story. [Em]So let’s have another [Am]round of [B7]booze. And if [Em]any one should [B7]ask you just [Em]tell them I’ve got the [C7]St. James [B7]Infirmary [Em]Blues.

Artist Ramblin' Jack Elliott

Album The Long Ride

Genres Folk

Year 2006

Key Em

Ramblin' Jack Elliott - St. James Infirmary Blues can be played in the key of Em using the Em, B7, C7, Am chords.

For Em, To play Em, let low E, G, B, high E ring open, mute A, D.
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 C7, To play C7, press fret 1 on the B string with finger 2, let low E, G, high E ring open, mute A, D.
For Am, To play Am, press fret 1 on the B string with finger 2, let low E, A, high E ring open, mute D, G.

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

You can play St. James Infirmary Blues with the ↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑ strumming pattern.