Big Rock Candy Mountain - Ukulele Chords

11 Jan 2011

Big Rock Candy Mountain - Ukulele Chords

My Uncle used to sing this song to me when I was just a kid. Many years later I heard Big Rock Candy Mountain in the film "Oh Brother Where Art Thou?". What a great song to play on the ukulele


Its a simple song to play, search around for some versions to get the tune, and the first verse needs playing very slowly with minimal strumming of your uke!

(lyrics provided strictly for educational purposes only!!)


One [C]evening as the sun went down
And the jungle fire was burning,
Down the track came a hobo hikin',
And he said, "Boys, I'm not turning.
I'm [F]headed for a [C]land that's [F]far a[C]way,
Be[F]side the crystal [G7]fountains,
So [C]come with me, we'll go and see,
The Big Rock [G7]Candy [C]Mountains."

Verse 1:

"[C]In the Big Rock Candy Mountains
There's a [F]land that's fair and [C]bright,
Where the [F]handouts grow on [C]bushes,
And you [F]sleep out every [G7]night,
Where the [C]boxcars all are empty,
And the [F]sun shines every [C]day,
On the [F]birds and the [C]bees
And the [F]cigarette [C]trees,
The [F]lemonade [C]springs
Where the [F]bluebird [C]sings,
In the [G7]Big Rock Candy [C]Mountains."

Verse 2:

"[C]In the Big Rock Candy Mountains
All the [F]cops have wooden [C]legs,
And the [F]bulldogs all have [C]rubber teeth,
And the [F]hens lay soft boiled [G7]eggs.
The [C]farmers' trees are full of fruit
And the [F]barns are full of [C]hay.
Oh, I'm [F]bound to [C]go
Where there [F]ain't no [C]snow,
Where the [F]rain don't [C]fall
And the [F]wind don't [C]blow,
In the [G7]Big Rock Candy [C]Mountains."

Verse 3:

"[C]In the Big Rock Candy Mountains
You [F]never change your [C]socks,
And the [F]little streams of [C]alcohol
Come a-[F]tricklin' down the [G7]rocks,
The [C]brakemen have to tip their hats
And the [F]railroad bulls are [C]blind.
There's a [F]lake of [C]stew,
And of [F]whiskey [C]too,
You can [F]paddle all a[C]round 'em
In a [F]big ca[C]noe,
In the [G7]Big Rock Candy [C]Mountains."

Verse 4:

"[C]In the Big Rock Candy Mountains,
The [F]jails are made of [C]tin,
And [F]you can walk right [C]out again,
As [F]soon as you are [G7]in.
There [C]ain't no short-handled shovels,
No [F]axes, saws, or [C]picks,
I'm a-[F]going to [C]stay,
Where you [F]sleep all [C]day,
Where they [F]hung the [C]jerk,
Who in[F]vented [C]work,
I'll [F]see you [C]all
This [F]coming [C]fall,
In the [G7]Big Rock Candy [C]Mountains."

8 comments :

  1. Such a great song, really clear chords and lyrics.

    ReplyDelete
  2. do you have a strum pattern that you recommend?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Replies
    1. Great fun tune! I also like strum thumb (string 1 only) up down up on the main part and then down down down down on the alternating chords.

      Delete
  4. I recommend down down up at a quick tempo :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I luv this song so ez to learn and I listen to I as the original

    ReplyDelete
  6. i grew up listening to this song been trying to find how to play it

    ReplyDelete

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