Folk, Country

Mr. Bojangles Chords

Jerry Jeff Walker Beginner Key of C 5 Chords 4 min read

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Amtap to play

Dmtap to play

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Key

C Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

C · Am · Dm · G · F

Jerry Jeff Walker’s folk classic about a street performer met in a New Orleans jail. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, bouncy strum to match the storytelling feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

I knew a man Bojangles and he danced for you

F C

In worn out shoes

F C G

With silver hair, a ragged shirt and baggy pants

F

The old soft shoe

C G

He jumped so high, jumped so high

F C

Then he lightly touched down

Verse 2

C G

I met him in a cell in New Orleans, I was

F C

Down and out

F C G

He looked at me to be the eyes of time

F C

He said, “Son, here’s what it’s all about”

G C

The dog up and died, he up and died

F C

And after twenty years he still grieved

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Verse 3

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Verse 4

C G

He tapped his way right through those cell block doors

F C

And right on down the hall

F C G

And he told us of the times when he and Minstrel Min was

F C

On the old Majestic walls

G C

He told of drinking and he told of cards

F C

And laughing, Lord, and living off the land

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Verse 5

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Verse 6

C G

He danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs

F C

Throughout the South

F C G

He spoke with tears of fifteen years how his dog and him

F

Traveled about

C G

His dog up and died, he up and died

F C

And after twenty years he still grieved

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Outro

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Practice tip: Master the simple C, F, and G chord changes before adding the strum pattern; the story is driven by the lyrics, so keep the chords clean and steady.

Ctap to play

Amtap to play

Dmtap to play

Gtap to play

Ftap to play

Key

C Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

C · Am · Dm · G · F

Jerry Jeff Walker’s folk classic about a street performer met in a New Orleans jail. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, bouncy strum to match the storytelling feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

I knew a man Bojangles and he danced for you

F C

In worn out shoes

F C G

With silver hair, a ragged shirt and baggy pants

F

The old soft shoe

C G

He jumped so high, jumped so high

F C

Then he lightly touched down

Verse 2

C G

I met him in a cell in New Orleans, I was

F C

Down and out

F C G

He looked at me to be the eyes of time

F C

He said, “Son, here’s what it’s all about”

G C

The dog up and died, he up and died

F C

And after twenty years he still grieved

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Verse 3

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Verse 4

C G

He tapped his way right through those cell block doors

F C

And right on down the hall

F C G

And he told us of the times when he and Minstrel Min was

F C

On the old Majestic walls

G C

He told of drinking and he told of cards

F C

And laughing, Lord, and living off the land

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Verse 5

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Verse 6

C G

He danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs

F C

Throughout the South

F C G

He spoke with tears of fifteen years how his dog and him

F

Traveled about

C G

His dog up and died, he up and died

F C

And after twenty years he still grieved

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Outro

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Practice tip: Master the simple C, F, and G chord changes before adding the strum pattern; the story is driven by the lyrics, so keep the chords clean and steady.

Ctap to play

Amtap to play

Dmtap to play

Gtap to play

Ftap to play

Key

C Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

C · Am · Dm · G · F

Jerry Jeff Walker’s folk classic about a street performer met in a New Orleans jail. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, bouncy strum to match the storytelling feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

I knew a man Bojangles and he danced for you

F C

In worn out shoes

F C G

With silver hair, a ragged shirt and baggy pants

F

The old soft shoe

C G

He jumped so high, jumped so high

F C

Then he lightly touched down

Verse 2

C G

I met him in a cell in New Orleans, I was

F C

Down and out

F C G

He looked at me to be the eyes of time

F C

He said, “Son, here’s what it’s all about”

G C

The dog up and died, he up and died

F C

And after twenty years he still grieved

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Verse 3

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Verse 4

C G

He tapped his way right through those cell block doors

F C

And right on down the hall

F C G

And he told us of the times when he and Minstrel Min was

F C

On the old Majestic walls

G C

He told of drinking and he told of cards

F C

And laughing, Lord, and living off the land

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Verse 5

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Verse 6

C G

He danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs

F C

Throughout the South

F C G

He spoke with tears of fifteen years how his dog and him

F

Traveled about

C G

His dog up and died, he up and died

F C

And after twenty years he still grieved

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Outro

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Practice tip: Master the simple C, F, and G chord changes before adding the strum pattern; the story is driven by the lyrics, so keep the chords clean and steady.

Ctap to play

Amtap to play

Dmtap to play

Gtap to play

Ftap to play

Key

C Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

C · Am · Dm · G · F

Jerry Jeff Walker’s folk classic about a street performer met in a New Orleans jail. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, bouncy strum to match the storytelling feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

I knew a man Bojangles and he danced for you

F C

In worn out shoes

F C G

With silver hair, a ragged shirt and baggy pants

F

The old soft shoe

C G

He jumped so high, jumped so high

F C

Then he lightly touched down

Verse 2

C G

I met him in a cell in New Orleans, I was

F C

Down and out

F C G

He looked at me to be the eyes of time

F C

He said, “Son, here’s what it’s all about”

G C

The dog up and died, he up and died

F C

And after twenty years he still grieved

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Verse 3

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Verse 4

C G

He tapped his way right through those cell block doors

F C

And right on down the hall

F C G

And he told us of the times when he and Minstrel Min was

F C

On the old Majestic walls

G C

He told of drinking and he told of cards

F C

And laughing, Lord, and living off the land

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Verse 5

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Verse 6

C G

He danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs

F C

Throughout the South

F C G

He spoke with tears of fifteen years how his dog and him

F

Traveled about

C G

His dog up and died, he up and died

F C

And after twenty years he still grieved

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Outro

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Practice tip: Master the simple C, F, and G chord changes before adding the strum pattern; the story is driven by the lyrics, so keep the chords clean and steady.

Ctap to play

Amtap to play

Dmtap to play

Gtap to play

Ftap to play

Key

C Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

C · Am · Dm · G · F

Jerry Jeff Walker’s folk classic about a street performer met in a New Orleans jail. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, bouncy strum to match the storytelling feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

I knew a man Bojangles and he danced for you

F C

In worn out shoes

F C G

With silver hair, a ragged shirt and baggy pants

F

The old soft shoe

C G

He jumped so high, jumped so high

F C

Then he lightly touched down

Verse 2

C G

I met him in a cell in New Orleans, I was

F C

Down and out

F C G

He looked at me to be the eyes of time

F C

He said, “Son, here’s what it’s all about”

G C

The dog up and died, he up and died

F C

And after twenty years he still grieved

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Verse 3

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Verse 4

C G

He tapped his way right through those cell block doors

F C

And right on down the hall

F C G

And he told us of the times when he and Minstrel Min was

F C

On the old Majestic walls

G C

He told of drinking and he told of cards

F C

And laughing, Lord, and living off the land

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Verse 5

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Verse 6

C G

He danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs

F C

Throughout the South

F C G

He spoke with tears of fifteen years how his dog and him

F

Traveled about

C G

His dog up and died, he up and died

F C

And after twenty years he still grieved

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Outro

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Practice tip: Master the simple C, F, and G chord changes before adding the strum pattern; the story is driven by the lyrics, so keep the chords clean and steady.

Ctap to play

Amtap to play

Dmtap to play

Gtap to play

Ftap to play

Key

C Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

C · Am · Dm · G · F

Jerry Jeff Walker’s folk classic about a street performer met in a New Orleans jail. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, bouncy strum to match the storytelling feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

I knew a man Bojangles and he danced for you

F C

In worn out shoes

F C G

With silver hair, a ragged shirt and baggy pants

F

The old soft shoe

C G

He jumped so high, jumped so high

F C

Then he lightly touched down

Verse 2

C G

I met him in a cell in New Orleans, I was

F C

Down and out

F C G

He looked at me to be the eyes of time

F C

He said, “Son, here’s what it’s all about”

G C

The dog up and died, he up and died

F C

And after twenty years he still grieved

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Verse 3

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Verse 4

C G

He tapped his way right through those cell block doors

F C

And right on down the hall

F C G

And he told us of the times when he and Minstrel Min was

F C

On the old Majestic walls

G C

He told of drinking and he told of cards

F C

And laughing, Lord, and living off the land

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Verse 5

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Verse 6

C G

He danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs

F C

Throughout the South

F C G

He spoke with tears of fifteen years how his dog and him

F

Traveled about

C G

His dog up and died, he up and died

F C

And after twenty years he still grieved

Chorus

He said, “[F]I dance now at every [C]chance in honky [G]tonks for drinks and [C]tips
But [F]most the time I [C]spend behind these [G]county bars
‘[F]Cause I [C]drinks a [G]bit”
He [C]shook his head, and as he [G]shook his head
I heard [F]someone ask [C]please
[/verse]

Outro

C G

Please, Mister Bojangles, please, Mister Bojangles

F

Dance

C G

Mister Bojangles, dance

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

F C

He jumped so high, jumped so high

G C

And he lightly touched down

Practice tip: Master the simple C, F, and G chord changes before adding the strum pattern; the story is driven by the lyrics, so keep the chords clean and steady.