Crooked Jack Guitar Chords And Lyrics

The sheet music for this song is included for the key of G. The tenor banjo chords and the 5 string banjo chords in the key of Em are included.The song was  written by Irish folk singer / songwriter Dominic Behan who's father actually wrote Come Out You Black And Tans song, the ukulele chords are included. The song was recently recorded by Irish ballad group The Wallopers. This song describes the hardship endured by The Irish and Scottish men while working on The Hydro Electric Plant at Inverary Argill Scotland,  The tune of the song is a slow version of ''Star Of The County Down Song'' Written in 1965, the term ''Ganger'' is used in the song and describes a sort of foreman on a building site who is in charge of a group of men, for example you'd have a gang of men looking after concrete and the man in charge would be ''A Ganger Man''.  Recorded by Al O'Donnell who began his interest in folk singing from listening to the great Ewan McColl. Reading through this song it reads very much like McAlpines Fusiliers song which Dominic Behan also penned.

[Em]Come Irishmen both [G]young and [D]stern
With ad[Em]venture in your [D]soul
There are[Em] better ways to [G]spend your [D]days
Than in [Em]working [D]down a [Em]hole
 
I was tall and true, all of six foot two
But they broke me across the back
By a name I'm known and it's not my own
They call me Crooked Jack

The ganger's blue-eyed boy was I
Big Jack could do no wrong
And the reason simply was because
I could work hard hours and long

I've seen men old before their time
Their faces drawn and gray
I never thought so soon would mine
Be lined the self same way

I've cursed the day that I went away
To work on the hydro dams
For sweat and tears or hopes and fears
Bound up in shuttering jams

They say that honest toil is good
For the spirit and the soul
But believe me boys it's for sweat and blood
That they want you down a hole

 Notes

• Chords used: Em, G, D — simple but powerful.
• Tempo: slow-moderate 3/4 or 6/8 time (~85 BPM).
• Works beautifully on guitar, banjo, or bouzouki with a steady pulse (down–down–up).
• Optional repeat: after verse 5, repeat verse 1 softly to close.

The guitar chords with all verses.
[1]  
[Em]Come Irishmen both [G]young and [D]stern  
With ad[Em]venture in your [D]soul,  
There are [Em]better ways to [G]spend your [D]days  
Than in [Em]working [D]down a [Em]hole.  

I was [Em]tall and true, all of [G]six foot [D]two,  
But they [Em]broke me a[D]cross the [Em]back,  
By a [Em]name I'm known and it's [G]not my [D]own —  
They [Em]call me [D]Crooked [Em]Jack.  


[2]  
The [Em]ganger's blue-eyed [G]boy was [D]I,  
Big [Em]Jack could [D]do no [Em]wrong,  
And the [Em]reason simply [G]was be[D]cause  
I could [Em]work hard [D]hours and [Em]long.  


[3]  
I've [Em]seen men old be[G]fore their [D]time,  
Their [Em]faces [D]drawn and [Em]gray,  
I [Em]never thought so [G]soon would [D]mine  
Be [Em]lined the [D]selfsame [Em]way.  


[4]  
I've [Em]cursed the day that [G]I went [D]away  
To [Em]work on the [D]hydro [Em]dams,  
For [Em]sweat and tears or [G]hopes and [D]fears  
Are [Em]bound up [D]in shutterin’ [Em]jams.  


[5]  
They [Em]say that honest [G]toil is [D]good  
For the [Em]spirit and [D]the soul,  
But be[Em]lieve me boys, it's [G]for sweat and [D]blood  
That they [Em]want you [D]down a [Em]hole.

🎸 Strumming Pattern — 2/4 March↓ ↓↑ 1 & 2 & (Simple driving march feel)
🎵 Fingerpicking Pattern — 2/4(Thumb = bass, i/m fingers = G/B/E)
Generic 2/4 arpeggio:

T   i   m   i
1   &   2   &
Example for Em:


e|-----0-------|
B|---0---0-----|
G|-0-----------|
D|-------------|
A|2------------|
E|0------------|
🪕 VERSE — 3 bars per line (2/4)

[Em]Come Irishmen both [G]young and [D]stern
   Em                 G                  D
e|--0-----0------------3-----3------------2-----2---------|
B|--0---0--------------0---0--------------3---3-----------|
G|--0-------------------0------------------2--------------|
D|--2-------------------0------------------0--------------|
A|--2-------------------2---------------------------------|
E|--0-------------------3---------------------------------|

With ad[Em]venture in your [D]soul
   Em                 D                  Em
e|--0-----0------------2-----2------------0-----0---------|
B|--0---0--------------3---3--------------0---0-----------|
G|--0-------------------2------------------0--------------|
D|--2-------------------0------------------2--------------|
A|--2--------------------------------------2--------------|
E|--0--------------------------------------0--------------|

There are[Em] better ways to [G]spend your [D]days
   Em                 G                  D
e|--0-----0------------3-----3------------2-----2---------|
B|--0---0--------------0---0--------------3---3-----------|
G|--0-------------------0------------------2--------------|
D|--2-------------------0------------------0--------------|
A|--2-------------------2---------------------------------|
E|--0-------------------3---------------------------------|

Than in [Em]working [D]down a [Em]hole
   Em                 D                  Em
e|--0-----0------------2-----2------------0-----0---------|
B|--0---0--------------3---3--------------0---0-----------|
G|--0-------------------2------------------0--------------|
D|--2-------------------0------------------2--------------|
A|--2--------------------------------------2--------------|
E|--0--------------------------------------0--------------|

​Crooked Jack sheet music in G Major

​Crooked Jack guitar tab

​Crooked Jack tin whistle tab

Here's the chords in the key of Dm.
​[Dm]Come Irishmen both [F]young and [C]stern
With ad[Dm]venture in your [C]soul
There are[Dm] better ways to [F]spend your [C]days
Than in [Dm]working [C]down a [Dm]hole