Johnny Jump Up lyrics and chords

The lyrics to Johnny Jump Up tell the story of a man who gets himself in trouble after drinking too much extra-strong cider.

Johnny Jump Up
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The song was written by Tadgh Jordan from Cork in Ireland.

The chords are presented here in the key of D Minor. Christy Moore and Gaelic Storm sing the song in E Minor.

Place a capo on the second fret of the guitar and play the chords give below to play the song in E Minor.

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Johnny Jump Up lyrics and Chords

[wpchords]
[Dm]I’ll tell you a story that happened to me,
One [C]day as I went down to Youghal by the [Am]sea.
The [Dm]sun it was hot and the day it was [Am]warm,
Says [Dm]I a quiet [Am]pint wouldn’t [Dm]do me no harm.
[Dm]I went in and I called for a bottle of stout.
Says [C]the barman, I’m sorry, all the beer is sold [Am]out.
“Try [Dm]whiskey or Paddy, ten years in the [Am]wood.”
Says [Dm]I, “I’ll try ci[Am]der, I’ve [Dm]heard that it’s good.”[/wpchords]

 

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Chorus (chords as the verse)
Oh never, oh never, oh never again.
If I live to a hundred or a hundred and ten,
For I fell to the ground and I couldn’t get up
After drinking a quart of the Johnny Jump Up.

After lowering the third I made straight for the yard
Where I bumped into Brophy, the big civic guard.
“Come here to me boy, don’t you know I’m the law?”
I upped with me fist and I shattered his jaw,
He fell to the ground with his knees doubled up.
But it wasn’t I hit him, ‘twas Johnny Jump Up.
The next thing I met down in Youghal by the sea
Was a cripple on crutches and says he to me.

“I’m afraid of me life I’ll be hit by a car
Won’t you help me across to the Railwayman’s Bar?”
After downing a quart of that cider so sweet
He threw down his crutches and danced on his feet.
I went up the Lee Road, a friend for to see,
They call it the madhouse in Cork by the Lee,
But l when I got up there, sure the truth I do tell,
They had the poor bugger locked up in a cell.

Said the guard, testing him, say these words if you can,
“Around the rugged rock the ragged rascal ran”
“Tell him them I’m not crazy, tell them I’m not mad
It was only a sup of the bottle I had.”
A man died in the union by the name of McNab,
They washed him and laid him outside on the slab.
And after O’Connor his measurements did take
His wife took him home to a bloody fine wake.

About 12 o’clock and the beer it was high,
The corpse he sat up and says he with a sigh,
“I can’t get to heaven, they won’t let me up
Till I bring them a quart of the Johnny Jump Up.”
So if ever you go down to Cork by the sea
Stay out of the ale house and take it from me,
If you want to stay sane don’t you dare take a sup
Of that devil drink cider called Johnny Jump Up.

Johnny Jump Up
Videos
Lyrics and chords

Johnny Jump Up lyrics and chords print version

[Dm]I’ll tell you a story that happened to me,
One [C]day as I went down to Youghal by the [Am]sea.
The [Dm]sun it was hot and the day it was [Am]warm,
Says [Dm]I a quiet [Am]pint wouldn’t [Dm]do me no harm.
[Dm]I went in and I called for a bottle of stout.
Says [C]the barman, I’m sorry, all the beer is sold [Am]out.
“Try [Dm]whiskey or Paddy, ten years in the [Am]wood.”
Says [Dm]I, “I’ll try ci[Am]der, I’ve [Dm]heard that it’s good.”

Chorus (chords as the verse)
Oh never, oh never, oh never again.
If I live to a hundred or a hundred and ten,
For I fell to the ground and I couldn’t get up
After drinking a quart of the Johnny Jump Up.

After lowering the third I made straight for the yard
Where I bumped into Brophy, the big civic guard.
“Come here to me boy, don’t you know I’m the law?”
I upped with me fist and I shattered his jaw,
He fell to the ground with his knees doubled up.
But it wasn’t I hit him, ‘twas Johnny Jump Up.
The next thing I met down in Youghal by the sea
Was a cripple on crutches and says he to me.

“I’m afraid of me life I’ll be hit by a car
Won’t you help me across to the Railwayman’s Bar?”
After downing a quart of that cider so sweet
He threw down his crutches and danced on his feet.
I went up the Lee Road, a friend for to see,
They call it the madhouse in Cork by the Lee,
But l when I got up there, sure the truth I do tell,
They had the poor bugger locked up in a cell.

Said the guard, testing him, say these words if you can,
“Around the rugged rock the ragged rascal ran”
“Tell him them I’m not crazy, tell them I’m not mad
It was only a sup of the bottle I had.”
A man died in the union by the name of McNab,
They washed him and laid him outside on the slab.
And after O’Connor his measurements did take
His wife took him home to a bloody fine wake.

About 12 o’clock and the beer it was high,
The corpse he sat up and says he with a sigh,
“I can’t get to heaven, they won’t let me up
Till I bring them a quart of the Johnny Jump Up.”
So if ever you go down to Cork by the sea
Stay out of the ale house and take it from me,
If you want to stay sane don’t you dare take a sup
Of that devil drink cider called Johnny Jump Up.

Johnny Jump Up
Videos
Lyrics and chords