Joe Hill guitar chords and lyrics
The sheet music score in the key of D and G Major is included. The guitar chords are in chordpro. The Dubliners with Luke Kelly on vocals recorded this folk song which is more popular in America then Ireland . Joe Hill came to America from Sweden, He was a songwriter, Laborer, and union organizer, He became famous around the world after the Utah court convection for murder He was framed and died a hero and a rebel. The tin whistle sheet music notes are included. The two youtube videos are of myself. The song was also recorded by Irish folk singers The High Kings [ who covered the song Grace ] on their album ''Live In Ireland'' in 2011. Paul Robeson, Joan Baez, George Murphy and Bruce Springsteen.
These are the chords I use in the youtube video. Capo on first fret if you want.
I[G] dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,as [C]live as you and [G]me,
Says[C] I to Joe your [G]ten years dead,i [D]never died says he,
I [D7]never died says [G]he,
[2]
The [G]copper bosses shot you Joe they[C] filled you up with [G]lead,
Takes [C]more than guns to [G]kill a man says [D]Joe and I ain't dead
Says [D7]Joe and I ain't [G]dead.
[3]
From [G]saltlake city Joe said I him [C]stand by my [G]bed,
They [C]framed you on a [G]murder charge,
Says [D]Joe but I ain't dead,says [D7]Joe but I ain't dead.
[4]
And [G]standing there as big as life,and[C] smiling with hes [G]eyes,
Says [C]Joe what they for[G]got to kill,went [D]on to organise,
Went [D7]on to orga[G]nise.
[5]
Joe [G]Hill ain't dead he said to me,Joe [C]Hill ain't never [G]died,
Where [C]working men de[G]fend their rights,
Joe [D]Hill is by their side,Joe[D7] Hill is by their side.
[6]
From [G]San Diego up to Maine,in [C]every mine and mill,
Where [C]workers strike and [G]organise,
Joe [D]Hill is by their side, Joe [D7]Hill is by their [G]side.
Here's the guitar chords for Joe Hill in the key of D.
I[D] dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,as [G]live as you and [D]me,
Says[G] I to Joe your [D]ten years dead,i [A]never died says he,
I [A7]never died says [D]he,
The [D]copper bosses shot you Joe they[G] filled you up with [D]lead,
Takes [G]more than guns to [D]kill a man says [A]Joe and I ain't dead
Says [A7]Joe and I ain't [D]dead.
From [D]saltlake city Joe said I him [G]stand by my [D]bed,
They [G]framed you on a [D]murder charge,
Says [A]Joe but I ain't dead,says [A7]Joe but I ain't dead.
And [D]standing there as big as life,and[G] smiling with hes [D]eyes,
Says [G]Joe what they for[D]got to kill,went [A]on to organise,
Went [A7]on to orga[D]nise.
Joe [D]Hill ain't dead he said to me,Joe [G]Hill ain't never [D]died,
Where [G]working men de[D]fend their rights,
Joe [A]Hill is by their side,Joe[A7] Hill is by their side.
From [D]San Diego up to Maine,in [G]every mine and mill,
Where [G]workers strike and [D]organise,
Joe [A]Hill is by their side, Joe [A7]Hill is by their [D]side.
I[D] dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,as [G]live as you and [D]me,
Says[G] I to Joe your [D]ten years dead,i [A]never died says he,
I [A7]never died says [D]he,
The [D]copper bosses shot you Joe they[G] filled you up with [D]lead,
Takes [G]more than guns to [D]kill a man says [A]Joe and I ain't dead
Says [A7]Joe and I ain't [D]dead.
From [D]saltlake city Joe said I him [G]stand by my [D]bed,
They [G]framed you on a [D]murder charge,
Says [A]Joe but I ain't dead,says [A7]Joe but I ain't dead.
And [D]standing there as big as life,and[G] smiling with hes [D]eyes,
Says [G]Joe what they for[D]got to kill,went [A]on to organise,
Went [A7]on to orga[D]nise.
Joe [D]Hill ain't dead he said to me,Joe [G]Hill ain't never [D]died,
Where [G]working men de[D]fend their rights,
Joe [A]Hill is by their side,Joe[A7] Hill is by their side.
From [D]San Diego up to Maine,in [G]every mine and mill,
Where [G]workers strike and [D]organise,
Joe [A]Hill is by their side, Joe [A7]Hill is by their [D]side.
Below is the list of sheet music and tin whistle songs that are in my ebooks. This is the largest collection of tin whistle songs ever put together.[over 800 songs ] Including folk, pop and trad tunes plus German And French songs along with Christmas Carols.
All of the sheet music tabs have been made as easy to play as was possible.
The price of the ebooks is €7.50
All of the sheet music tabs have been made as easy to play as was possible.
The price of the ebooks is €7.50
The Dubliners Sheet Music / Tin Whistle Notes Ebook
,
Below is the standard sheet music score for Joe Hill in the key of G Major
Return to the Dubliners Song Lyrics
Joe Hill Song Lyrics 2
Joe Hill was a man of the people
Fighting for the workers' rights
He lived and breathed for the union
And never backed down from the fight
Chorus:
Joe Hill, the union man
Standing up for what's right
With his words and his guitar in hand
He gave the workers hope and light
Verse 2:
He traveled from town to town
Spreading the message loud and clear
That together we are stronger
And there's nothing we should fear
Chorus:
Joe Hill, the union man
Standing up for what's right
With his words and his guitar in hand
He gave the workers hope and light
Bridge:
From the Wobblies to the miners
Joe Hill's voice was heard
His songs became anthems
For the working class, he was their word
Chorus:
Joe Hill, the union man
Standing up for what's right
With his words and his guitar in hand
He gave the workers hope and light
Verse 3:
Even when they tried to silence him
Joe Hill never gave in
He stood tall and stayed true
To the cause that he believed in
Chorus:
Joe Hill, the union man
Standing up for what's right
With his words and his guitar in hand
He gave the workers hope and light
Outro:
Though he may be gone
His legacy still lives on
Joe Hill, the union man
Forever a hero, forever strong.
Joe Hill was a man of the people
Fighting for the workers' rights
He lived and breathed for the union
And never backed down from the fight
Chorus:
Joe Hill, the union man
Standing up for what's right
With his words and his guitar in hand
He gave the workers hope and light
Verse 2:
He traveled from town to town
Spreading the message loud and clear
That together we are stronger
And there's nothing we should fear
Chorus:
Joe Hill, the union man
Standing up for what's right
With his words and his guitar in hand
He gave the workers hope and light
Bridge:
From the Wobblies to the miners
Joe Hill's voice was heard
His songs became anthems
For the working class, he was their word
Chorus:
Joe Hill, the union man
Standing up for what's right
With his words and his guitar in hand
He gave the workers hope and light
Verse 3:
Even when they tried to silence him
Joe Hill never gave in
He stood tall and stayed true
To the cause that he believed in
Chorus:
Joe Hill, the union man
Standing up for what's right
With his words and his guitar in hand
He gave the workers hope and light
Outro:
Though he may be gone
His legacy still lives on
Joe Hill, the union man
Forever a hero, forever strong.
🎵 Joe Hill
Type: American folk / protest song
Composed by: Alfred Hayes (lyrics) and Earl Robinson (music)
Written: 1936
First Popularized by: Paul Robeson and later Pete Seeger
Famous Irish Versions: Sung by artists such as Luke Kelly, The Dubliners, and Christy Moore
Theme: Labor rights, martyrdom, working-class solidarity
✊ Who Was Joe Hill?
Joe Hill (1879–1915) was a Swedish-American labor activist, songwriter, and member of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) — also known as the Wobblies.
He wrote songs that united and inspired striking workers, including:
“The Preacher and the Slave” (“You’ll get pie in the sky when you die”)
“There Is Power in a Union”
“Casey Jones (the Union Scab)”
In 1915, Joe Hill was executed by firing squad in Utah, after being convicted of murder — a charge widely believed to have been trumped up due to his union activism.
His last words were:
“Don’t mourn — organize!”
Hill quickly became a folk hero and martyr for the labor movement.
🎶 About the Song
The song “Joe Hill” was written 20 years after his death, when lyricist Alfred Hayes and composer Earl Robinson set out to immortalize Hill as a symbol of the continuing workers’ struggle.
It’s written as a visionary ballad — the singer dreams that Joe Hill appears to them, proclaiming that his spirit lives on in every worker who stands up for justice.
Type: American folk / protest song
Composed by: Alfred Hayes (lyrics) and Earl Robinson (music)
Written: 1936
First Popularized by: Paul Robeson and later Pete Seeger
Famous Irish Versions: Sung by artists such as Luke Kelly, The Dubliners, and Christy Moore
Theme: Labor rights, martyrdom, working-class solidarity
✊ Who Was Joe Hill?
Joe Hill (1879–1915) was a Swedish-American labor activist, songwriter, and member of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) — also known as the Wobblies.
He wrote songs that united and inspired striking workers, including:
“The Preacher and the Slave” (“You’ll get pie in the sky when you die”)
“There Is Power in a Union”
“Casey Jones (the Union Scab)”
In 1915, Joe Hill was executed by firing squad in Utah, after being convicted of murder — a charge widely believed to have been trumped up due to his union activism.
His last words were:
“Don’t mourn — organize!”
Hill quickly became a folk hero and martyr for the labor movement.
🎶 About the Song
The song “Joe Hill” was written 20 years after his death, when lyricist Alfred Hayes and composer Earl Robinson set out to immortalize Hill as a symbol of the continuing workers’ struggle.
It’s written as a visionary ballad — the singer dreams that Joe Hill appears to them, proclaiming that his spirit lives on in every worker who stands up for justice.
