Wake Up John The Hanging Song Chords

Standard (EADGBE)

A CAPELLA A

Wake up John, it's time to go Come along John and don't be slow

Come along John, don't be slow Wake up John, it's time to go

Wake up John, it's time to go

Intro

Dm A x 7

G D F

Verse 1

 A prAiest joins the procession Fjust to Ghelp me Akneel

 With a Bmwarder at my C♯melbow and Danother at my Dmheel

AMarching in the morning down a Fpath I've Glately Aseen

 I was Bmsleeping in this C♯mgarden, am I Dstill within my Dmdream?

 The Aecho of my heartbeat is the Fbeating Gof a dArum

 And Bmall the earth is C♯msinging with Dlife's sweet Dmhum

 We Afiled in solemn silence, Fshuffled Gthrough a Adoor

 The Bmplace where life is C♯mtaken for the Gletter of the Alaw

Chorus

AShake the holy water, Dsummon up the Eguard

BDying's very Aeasy, Gwaiting's very F♯mhard

Verse 2

F♯mA rope was hanging from the roof, a Bmsight which puzzles me

 I F♯mthought a gibbet and a guard would Bmake a gallows tree

 But Enow all is revealed, stamped Gthere is the command

 My Afeet are on the trapdoor with a rope Baround my hand

 And Anow the executioner is Fshaking Ghands with Ame

 "My Bmduty I must C♯mcarry out, you Dpoor fellow," says Dmhe

 A Arope is tied around my feet and a Fbag upGon my Ahead

 And Bmthen the noose which C♯mseparates the Dliving from the Dmdead

Chorus

Verse 3

F♯mThere he whispers to me "Have you anything to say?" Bm

 My moutF♯mh is dry, my throat is tight, I answer "Drop awBmay"

ESilence now surrounds me, my heart is beating on G

 The traApdoor hardly moves at all, my life is still my own B

Violin solo

A F G A x8

AThey stand me in a corner with my Fhands and Gfeet still Abound

 While a Bmcarpenter is C♯mcalled for and an Dexplanation Dmfound

 "The Arain has warped the timbers," I Fhear the Ghangman Asay

 "It's Bmfunny but it C♯mworked well, I Dtried it Dmyesterday"

F♯m"All is mended now," they say, "your Bmordeal's nearly over

 Your F♯mlife's as good as ended," but I Bhear their voices waver

 Once Emore the bolt is shaken and aGgain I hang in limbo

 While the Aguards jump on the trapdoor and my body Bstands on tip-toe

Chorus

Verse 4

 They Astand me in a corner with my Fhands and Gfeet still Atied

 A Bmwarder holds onC♯mto the noose, the Dtrapdoor opens Dmwide

 Is it Amagic or coincidence that Fkeeps me Gon the Abrink?

 It Bmseems to work withC♯mout me, "Will it Dkill me now?" I Dmthink

F♯m"Please, I'm tired of living and I Bmreally want to die"

 I was F♯mtaken to the scaffold and I Bheard the hangman cry

E"Lee, I'm truly sorry, forGgive these hands of mine"

 He Athree\w the bolt and I felt the jolt the Bthird and final time

 My F♯mlife was spared that morning 'cos it Bmwasn't theirs to take

F♯mThree's the most the law requires, a Bman to feel the stake

Chorus x2