They Killed John Henry


This song is played with a capo on the 7th fret. The song is essentially a continual repeating of the picking pattern shown below, between 2 chords (D and A7/C#, although you play these by forming the "G" and "D7/F#" chord shapes relative to the capo). It's up to you how you choose to pick the pattern, although I've watched Justin play this and for the G chord he frets the top string with his ring finger, using his pinkie to fret the notes on the bottom 3 strings when he needs to. This makes it easy to change into the second chord. When he changes into the second chord, he places his middle finger on the second fret of the top string and uses index and ring finger to do the other fretting on the 2nd and 3rd strings. As for your right hand, alternately pick the bass notes (i.e. the repeating "E" and "d" strings) with your thumb and pick the rest with either your index finger or a combination of fingers. Whatever feels comfortable! This is quite a difficult song to master at first, especially if you haven't practised much independent finger picking before. But once you can play it, it's really fun and sounds great! "G" (D) e ----------------| b ----------------| g ----------------| d --0---0---0---0-| a ----------------| E 3---3---3---3---| "G" (D) e 3-3---3-0-----0-3p0-------------| b ------------3---------0-----0---| g --------------------3---0-------| d --0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-| a --------------------------------| E 3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---| "D7/F#" (A7/C#) "G" (D) e --------------------------------| b ----1---0-----0-----------------| g 2-----------2---0---------------| d --0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-| a --------------------------------| e 2---2---2---2---3---3---3---3---| (repeat this section once before starting again with the previous section)