This is one of my favorites. This used to be part of our hour long train medley. We would perform for an hour straight going from one train song into another for a solid hour! It was fun and I used to start laughing watching audience members dance until they almost fell down from exhaustion.

Let The Train Blow The Whistle is the Folk Song Of The Week and the only thing that you may find tricky on frailing banjo is the B minor chord. Don’t worry, you don’t have to move out of the chord position to get a melody note.

Have fun!

Let The Train Blow The Whistle (PDF)

Let The Train Blow The Whistle

I don’t [G]want no aggravation

When my train has left the station

If you’re [C]there or not, I may not even [G]know

Have a round and [Bm]remember

Things we [C]did that weren’t so [G]tender

Let the train blow the [D7]whistle when I [G]go

On my guitar sell tickets
So someone can finally pick it
And tell the girls down at the Ritz I said hello
Tell the gossipers and liars I will see them in the fire
Let the train blow the whistle when I go

Let her [C]blow, let her [G]blow

Long and [G]loud and hard and happy

Let her [D7]blow

No [G]regrets, all my [Bm]debts will be [C]paid

When I get [G]laid

Let her blow, let her [D7]blow, let her [G]blow

You’ll be left without excuses
For the evils and abuses
Down to today from years and years ago
And have yourself another toke
From my basket full of smoke
And let the train blow the whistle when I go

This has to be one of the most fun and exciting songs to play on frailing banjo! The Folk Song Of The Week is John Hardy!

This is fun and it’s a great song! Play along by frailing your banjo or the instrument of your choice.

John Hardy (PDF)

JOHN HARDY

John [C]Hardy was a [G]desperate little man,

he [C]carried two razors every [G]day.

He [C]went down to that [G]West Virginia line,

and you [D7]should have seen John Hardy getting away, Lord, Lord.

You should have seen John Hardy getting [G]away

John Hardy, he got to the East Stone Bridge,
he thought that he would be free.
And up stepped a man and took him by the arm,
saying, “Johnny, walk along with me !”

He sent for his poppy and his mommy, too,
to come to go his bail.
But money wont go a murdering case,
and they locked John Hardy back in jail.

John Hardy, he had a pretty little girl,
the dress that she wore was blue,
as she came skipping through the old jail hall,
saying, “Poppy, I’ve been true to you!”

John Hardy, he had another little girl,
the dress that she wore was red.
She followed John Hardy to the hanging ground,
saying Poppy, “I would rather be dead !”

I’ve been to the East, and I’ve been to the West ,
I’ve been this wide world around,
I’ve been to the river and I’ve been baptized,
and now I’m on my hanging ground.

John Hardy walked out on his scaffold high,
with his loving little wife by his side.
And the last word she heard poor John-o say,
“I’ll meet you in that sweet bye and bye. “