harry warren • mack gordon
This song was written by partners Harry Warren (music) and Mack Gordon (lyrics) for the 1941 film "Sun Valley Serenade". It was recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra 7th of May 1941, with vocals by Tex Beneke & The Modernaires. It became the first record to be certified a gold disc, in 1942, for 1.2 million sales. It has also climbed up to be all time high covered song among *train* and *railroad* recordings.
The original starts with a dialogue, and most single performers skip this, of course. I've left it within brackets. Also, I leave with you only basic chords. The song invites to do a helluwa lot of tricks (listen to Bette Midler's version!) so here we go, happy ridin'!
[«hey there tex : what you say?»
- step aside partner, it's my day
bend an ear and listen to my version
of a really solid Tennessee excursion]
- pardon me boy : is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo?
«yes : track 29»
- boy you can give me a shine
«can you afford to board the Chattanooga Choo Choo?»
- I've got my fare
and just a trifle to spare
you leave the Pennsylvania station 'bout a quarter to four
read a magazine and then you're in Baltimore
dinner in the diner : nothing could be finer
than to have your ham and eggs in Carolina
when you hear the whistle blowin' eight to the bar
then you know that Tennessee is not very far
shuffle all the coal in : gotta keep it rollin'
whoo whoo Chattanooga : there you are
there's gonna be a certain party at the station
satin and lace
I used to call funny face
she's gonna cry until I tell her that I'll never roam
so Chattanooga Choo Choo
won't you choo choo me home?
Chuckle ... Roy Rogers got a brand new pair of cowboy boots from his wife Dale for Christmas, and left them outside to find them gnawed by a mountain lion next morning. He saddled up Trigger, grabbed his rifle and rode out to kill the varmint. A couple of hours later he returned with a dead mountain lion tied across his saddle. Dale walked up to him and asked: "Pardon me, Roy. Is that the Cat That Chewed Your New Shoes?"
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
G C G pardon me boy is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo A7 yes track twentynine D7 D6 G ...D7 boy you can give me a shine G C G can you afford to board the Chattanooga Choo Choo A7 D7 D6 G I've got my fare and just a trifle to spare G7 C G7 C G you leave the Pennsylvania station 'bout a quarter to four C G7 C C7 read a magazine and then you're in Baltimore F D7 C A7 dinner in the diner : nothing could be finer Fmaj7 G6 G7 than to have your ham and eggs in Carolina C G7 C G when you hear the whistle blowin' eight to the bar C G7 C C7 then you know that Tennessee is not very far F D7 C A7 shuffle all the coal in : gotta keep it rollin' Fmaj7 G6 G7 C whoo whoo Chattanooga : there you are [D6 D7] G C G there's gonna be a certain party at the station A7 satin and lace D7 D6 G ...D7 I used to call funny face G C9 C ...A7 she's gonna cry until I tell her that I'll never roam G Em so Chattanooga Choo Choo Cmaj7 D7 G ...A7 won't you choo choo me home Em Em7 Chattanooga Choo Choo Cmaj D7 G won't you choo choo me home
