John the Gun
by Sandy Denny
From 'The North Star Grassman and the Ravens" (1971)

Capo III (Cm) 
(Please note this is not the original arrangement; 
I rearranged it to suit the limited skills 
of a camp fire player like myself)

    Am                   C                       Am 
My shadow follows me wherever I should chance to go
 C        G       Am 
John the Gun did say
    Am                                 C             Am
If you should chance to meet me, as I wander to and fro
 C       G        Am  
Sad will be your day

My life is mine and the light did shine, 
till the guns shot right through me
So now I shall never fall
Ideals of peace are gold which fools 
have found upon the plains of war
I shall destroy them all

(Chorus)
 Dm            C
Put away your guns of steel
       Dm                 C
Death comes too soon for all
      F              C             Em
Your master he will need you soon
     G                 Am
And you will heed his call

I am the master of the game
That you will hardly ever play
So I will teach your sons
And if they should die
Before the evening of their span of days
Why, then they will die young

(Chorus)

Condemn me not
For always have I played the game of war
In moonshine or in sun
And if any cross the path I choose to tread
Their chances they are poor
For I am John the Gun

(Chorus)