Am                       C            D  
There was an old man who lived in the greenwood 
Am                 C           D  
nobody knew him or what he had done 
    Am                         C         D            C  
but mothers words say to their children beware of Mad John. 
 
John would sing with the birds in the morning 

laugh with the wind in the cold end of night 

but people from behind their curtains, said he's not quite right. 
 

Bb          Eb            G#                   C#  
John had it sussed he was living the life of a tramp 
        F#                       B                    E  
yes his bed was the cold and the damp but the sun was his friend 
       F 
he was free 
 
So here was a wise one who loved all the haters 

he loved them so much that their hate turned to fear 

and shaking from behind their curtains the loved ones would hear