Capo: 1 Tuning: E A D G B E

30,000 Pounds Of Bananas Words and Music by Harry Chapin NOTE: The chords below represent the true chords for this song, however for guitar players, a nice trick (that Harry used) is to play the first 3 verses with a CAPO on the FIRST fret, the second verse with the CAPO on the SECOND fret and the third verse with the CAPO on the THIRD fret and then to transpose the whole song to the key of E. If you choose to use this trick, please keep in mind that you'll have to physically move the capo at the points labelled key mod 1 and key mod 2. F - FaddB (2x's)

It was j^Fust after dark

When the truck started down

The h^Bbill that leads into S^Bbmcranton, Pennsy^Flvania Carrying th^Ebirty th^Bbousand po^Cmunds of ban^Fanas

Carrying th^Ebirty th^Bbousand po^Cmunds of ban^Fanas

He was a yo^Fung driver Ju^Bbst out on his se^Bbmcond job

And he was ca^Frrying the next day's pasty fruits For e^C/Gveryone in that coal-scarred city

Where c^Fhildren play without despair In b^Bbackyard slag piles

^BbmAnd folks manage to ^Feat each day About th^Ebirty th^Bbousand po^Cmunds of ban^Fanas

Yes, just about t^Ebhirty t^Bbhousand p^Cmounds of ba^Fnanas

He p^Fassed a sign that he should have seen Saying s^Bbhift to low gear or f^Bbmifty dollar ^Ffine, my friend

He was t^C/Ghinking perhaps about the warm breath woman Who was w^Faiting at the journey's end

He s^Bbtarted down the t^Bbmwo-mile drop, The c^Gurving road that wound from the top of the ^C/Ghill

He was pushing on through the short'ning miles

That ^Fran down to the d^F7epot;

Just a few more miles to go

Then ^Bbhe'd go home and have her ^Bbmease his lo^Fng cramped day away And the smell of t^Ebhirty t^Bbhousand p^Cmounds of ba^Fnanas

Eb Bb Cm F -> F# (key mod 1) Yes, the smell of thirty thousand pounds of bananas

He was p^F#icking up speed as the city speard its t^Bwinkling lig^Bmhts b^F#elow him But he paid no heed as the sh^F#7ivering thoughts of the ^Bnight's d^Bmelights went thro^F#ugh him

His f^C#/G#oot nursed the brake to slow him down, but the pedal floored easy without a sound He said, "C^F#hrist!"

It was funny how he had named the only man who could ^C#/G#save him now He was trappped inside a deadend hell s^F#lide

Riding on his ^F#7fear hunched back was e^Bvery one of t^Bmhose yellow g^F#reen I'm telling you, t^Ehirty tho^Busand p^C#mounds of ba^F#mnanas

E B C#m F#m -> G (key mod 2) Yes there were thirty thousand pounds of bananas.

He barely made the sweeping c^G7urve that l^Ced i^Cmnto the ste^Gepest grade And he missed a thankful passing bus at ni^Cnety m^Cmiles an h^Gour

"God, make it a d^Dmream," as he r^Bbode h^Fis last ride do^Gwn He said, "God, make it a d^Dmream" as he r^Bbode h^Fis last ride d^Gown

And he ^Cmside-swiped nineteen neat-parked cars, Cli^Gpped off thirteen telephone poles

^CmHit two houses, bruised eight trees and B^Glue-Crossed seven people.

It was t^Dmhen he lost his head Not to mention an arm or two before he st^Gopped.

And he s^Dmmeared for four hundred yards Along the hill that leads into Scranton Pennsylv^Gania,

All those t^Fhirty th^Am7ousand p^Dmounds of ban^Ganas

You know the ^Gman who told me a^G7bout it on the bus As it ^Cwent up the hill our of S^Cmcranton, Pennsy^Glvania

He s^Dmhrugged his shoulders, he shook his head, and he ^Gsaid

And this is exactly what he said: "Boy, it sure must have been something. Just imagine thirty thousand pounds of bananas"

Yes there were t^Fhirty tho^Am7usand p^Dmounds of mashed ban^Ganas

Of bananas, thirty thousand pounds,

O^Abf bananas, of bananas, thirty ^Athousand pounds of b^Bbananas....

B - C - C# - D - D# - E - (up the scale)

Harry Chapin - 30000 pounds of bananas