Em
D
G
C
B7
Am
E
Never Did No Wanderin'
The Folksmen
The Folksmen’s “Never Did No Wanderin’” is a folk song parodying traditional American folk themes. The original version is performed with a simple, straight-ahead folk style, which suits beginner guitarists well.
Chords Used:
Em, D, G, B7, C, Am, E
All chords are open-position, making them accessible for beginners.
Strumming Pattern:
Use a relaxed, steady down-up strumming pattern in 4/4 time. For a genuine folk feel, try:
Down, down-up, down, down-up
Keep your hand moving consistently, accenting the first downstroke of each bar.
Chord Transitions:
The song stays on Em for many measures, so take advantage of this to settle your hand. Practice moving between Em and D, and Em and G, as these transitions occur frequently and quickly. The change from Em to B7 in the chorus may be tricky; practice this switch slowly until it feels smooth.
Techniques and Tips:
Let the bass notes ring out by picking the lowest string of each chord slightly harder. For the bridge, play a little softer to add contrast. The outro ends on an E major chord, giving a brighter finish—make sure to switch from Em to E cleanly.
Keep your strumming gentle and even, and focus on smooth transitions to capture the song’s folk spirit.
Intro
Em Em Em Em
Em Em Em Em
Em Em Em Em
Verse 1My mama was theD cold north wind
Em My daddy was theG son of aEm railroad man fromD west of hell
Where theC trains don'tD evenEm run
Em Em Em Em
ChorusNeverG heard the whistle of aEm southbound freight, or theG singin' of its drivingB7 wheel no I
Em Never did noD wanderin',Em Never did noG wanderin'
Em Never did noD wanderin' afterEm all
Em Em Em Em
Verse 2They say the highway's justD one big road, And itEm goes, from here toG there
And theyEm say you carry aD heavy load
When you'reC rolling down theD line someEm where
Em Em Em Em
ChorusNeverG seen the dance of theEm telephone poles, asG they go whizzin'B7 by no I
Em Never did noD wanderin',Em Never did noG wanderin'
Em Never did noD wanderin' afterEm all
Em Em Em Em
BridgeAm Never did no wanderin',Em high
Am Never did no wanderin'B7 low
Verse 3Now a sailor's life is aD life for him, but itEm never was forG me
And IEm never soared where theD hawk may soar
OrC see what theD hawk mightEm see
Em Em Em Em
ChorusNeverG hiked to heaven on aEm mountain trail, neverG rode on a river'sB7 rage no I
Em Never did noD wanderin',Em Never did noG wanderin'
Em Never did noD wanderin' afterEm all
Em Em Em Em
OutroNever did noD wanderin',Em Never did noG wanderin'
Em Never did noD wanderin' afterEm all
Em Em Em Em
Never did noD wanderin' afterE all