30,000 Pounds of Bananas (Live) - Harry Chapin The song is played with a capo that throughout the song climbs the frets. For proof, watch him live on YouTube. All chords used are to current Capo setting: E: 022100 D: xx0232 B: x24442 E*: 022300 D/C#: x4x232 G: 355433 E7: 022030 A: 002220 Bm: 224432 Am: 002210 A*: 577655 CAPO 1st FRET INTRO: E E* E E* (x2) E E7 It was just after dark when the truck started down A Am E The hill that leads into Scranton Pennsylvania. D D/C# Bm E Carrying thirty thousand pounds of bananas. D D/C# Bm E Carrying thirty thousand pounds of bananas. LINK: E E* E E* E He was a young driver, A* just out on his second job. E And he was carrying the next day's pasty fruits A Am For everyone in that coal-scarred city, E Where children play without despair A* E In backyard slag piles, and folks manage to eat each day D D/C# Bm E About thirty thousand pounds of bananas. D D/C# Bm Yes, just about thirty thousand pounds of bananas. TEMPO INCREASE LINK: E E* E E* E E7 He passed a sign that he should have seen, A Am E saying, "Shift to low gear or fifty dollar fine, my friend." A Am He was thinking perhaps about the warm-breathed woman E Who was waiting at the journey's end. A Am He started down the two-mile drop, E B The curving road that wound from the top of the hill. E He was pushing on through the shortening miles that ran down to the depot. Just a few more miles to go, A Am E Then he'd go home and have her ease his long, cramped day away. D D/C# Bm E And the smell of thirty thousand pounds of bananas. D D/C# Bm (Slide CAPO 2nd FRET) Yes, the smell of thirty thousand pounds of bananas. TEMPO INCREASE E E7 A Am E He was picking speed as the city spread its twinkling lights below him. E E7 A But he paid no heed as the shivering thoughts of the night's Am E Delights went through him. E (strum) E (strum) His foot nursed the brakes to slow him down, Bm (strum) Bm (strum) But the pedal floored easy without a sound. E He said, "Christ!" Am It was funny how he had named the only man who could save him now. E He was trapped inside a dead-end hellslide, Riding on his fear-hunched back A* With every one of those yellow-green, D D/C# Bm E I'm telling you, thirty thousand pounds of bananas. D D/C# Bm (Slide CAPO 3rd FRET) Yes, there were thirty thousand pounds of bananas. DOUBLE TIME! E E7 A Am E He barely made the sweeping curve that led into the steepest grade. E E7 A Am E And he missed the thankful passing bus at ninety miles an hour. A E And he said, "God, make it a dream!" G D A As he rode his last ride down. A E And he said, "God, make it a dream!" G D A As he rode his last ride down. Am And he sideswiped nineteen neat parked cars, E Clipped off thirteen telephone poles, Am Hit two houses, bruised eight trees, E And Blue-Crossed seven people. Bm It was then he lost his head, Am E Not to mention an arm or two before he stopped. N.C. And he smeared for four hundred yards Along the hill that leads into Scranton, Pennsylvania. D D/C# Bm E All those thirty thousand pounds of bananas. ORIGINAL TEMPO (Fade in) E You see the man who told me about it on the bus, A Am E As it went up the hill out of Scranton, Pennsylvania. E He shrugged his shoulders, he shook his head, A N.C. And he said (and this is exactly what he said), "Boy, that sure must've been something. Just imagine thirty thousand pounds of bananas. D D/F# Bm N.C. Yes, there were thirty thousand pounds of mashed bananas. E Of bananas. (Repeat with Barred F, then F#, etc. until fade out.)