30,000 Pounds of Bananas - Harry Chapin The song is played with a capo that throughout the song climbs the frets. For proof, watch him live on YouTube. All chords used are to current Capo setting: E: 022100 D: xx0232 B: x24442 E*: 022300 D/C#: x4x232 G: 355433 E7: 022030 A: 002220 Bm: 224432 Am: 002210 A*: 577655 CAPO 1st FRET INTRO: E E* E E* (x2) E (022100@1) E7It (020130@1)was just after dark when the truck started down A (x02220@1) Am (x02210@1) EThe (022100@1)hill that leads into Scranton Pennsylvania. D (xx0232@1) D/C# (x40232@1) Bm (x24432@1) ECarrying (022100@1)thirty thousand pounds of bananas. D (xx0232@1) D/C# (x40232@1) Bm (x24432@1) ECarrying (022100@1)thirty thousand pounds of bananas. LINK: E E* E E* EHe (022100@1)was a young driver, A* just out on his second job. EAnd (022100@1)he was carrying the next day's pasty fruits A (x02220@1) AmFor (x02210@1)everyone in that coal-scarred city, EWhere (022100@1)children play without despair A* EIn (022100@1)backyard slag piles, and folks manage to eat each day D (xx0232@1) D/C# (x40232@1) Bm (x24432@1) EAbout (022100@1)thirty thousand pounds of bananas. D (xx0232@1) D/C# (x40232@1) BmYes, (x24432@1)just about thirty thousand pounds of bananas. TEMPO INCREASE LINK: E E* E E* E (022100@1) E7He (020130@1)passed a sign that he should have seen, A (x02220@1) Am (x02210@1) Esaying, (022100@1)"Shift to low gear or fifty dollar fine, my friend." A (x02220@1) AmHe (x02210@1)was thinking perhaps about the warm-breathed woman EWho (022100@1)was waiting at the journey's end. A (x02220@1) AmHe (x02210@1)started down the two-mile drop, E (022100@1) BThe (x2444x@1)curving road that wound from the top of the hill. EHe (022100@1)was pushing on through the shortening miles that ran down to the depot. Just a few more miles to go, A (x02220@1) Am (x02210@1) EThen (022100@1)he'd go home and have her ease his long, cramped day away. D (xx0232@1) D/C# (x40232@1) Bm (x24432@1) EAnd (022100@1)the smell of thirty thousand pounds of bananas. D (xx0232@1) D/C# (x40232@1) Bm (x24432@1) (Slide CAPO 2nd FRET) Yes, the smell of thirty thousand pounds of bananas. TEMPO INCREASE E (022100@1) E7 (020130@1) A (x02220@1) Am (x02210@1) EHe (022100@1)was picking speed as the city spread its twinkling lights below him. E (022100@1) E7 (020130@1) ABut (x02220@1)he paid no heed as the shivering thoughts of the night's Am (x02210@1) EDelights (022100@1)went through him. E(strum) (022100@1) E(strum) (022100@1)His foot nursed the brakes to slow him down, Bm(strum) (x24432@1) Bm(strum) (x24432@1)But the pedal floored easy without a sound. EHe (022100@1)said, "Christ!" AmIt (x02210@1)was funny how he had named the only man who could save him now. EHe (022100@1)was trapped inside a dead-end hellslide, Riding on his fear-hunched back A* With every one of those yellow-green, D (xx0232@1) D/C# (x40232@1) Bm (x24432@1) EI'm (022100@1)telling you, thirty thousand pounds of bananas. D (xx0232@1) D/C# (x40232@1) Bm (x24432@1) (Slide CAPO 3rd FRET) Yes, there were thirty thousand pounds of bananas. DOUBLE TIME! E (022100@1) E7 (020130@1) A (x02220@1) Am (x02210@1) EHe (022100@1)barely made the sweeping curve that led into the steepest grade. E (022100@1) E7 (020130@1) A (x02220@1) Am (x02210@1) EAnd (022100@1)he missed the thankful passing bus at ninety miles an hour. A (x02220@1) EAnd (022100@1)he said, "God, make it a dream!" G (320003@1) D (xx0232@1) AAs (x02220@1)he rode his last ride down. A (x02220@1) EAnd (022100@1)he said, "God, make it a dream!" G (320003@1) D (xx0232@1) AAs (x02220@1)he rode his last ride down. AmAnd (x02210@1)he sideswiped nineteen neat parked cars, EClipped (022100@1)off thirteen telephone poles, AmHit (x02210@1)two houses, bruised eight trees, EAnd (022100@1)Blue-Crossed seven people. BmIt (x24432@1)was then he lost his head, Am (x02210@1) ENot (022100@1)to mention an arm or two before he stopped. N.C. And he smeared for four hundred yards Along the hill that leads into Scranton, Pennsylvania. D (xx0232@1) D/C# (x40232@1) Bm (x24432@1) EAll (022100@1)those thirty thousand pounds of bananas. ORIGINAL TEMPO (Fade in) EYou (022100@1)see the man who told me about it on the bus, A (x02220@1) Am (x02210@1) EAs (022100@1)it went up the hill out of Scranton, Pennsylvania. EHe (022100@1)shrugged his shoulders, he shook his head, A (x02220@1) N.C. And he said (and this is exactly what he said), "Boy, that sure must've been something. Just imagine thirty thousand pounds of bananas. D (xx0232@1) D/F# (200232@1) Bm (x24432@1) N.C. Yes, there were thirty thousand pounds of mashed bananas. EOf (022100@1)bananas. (Repeat with Barred F, then F#, etc. until fade out.)