Artist: Morey, Sean    Genre: Country    Tempo: Moderate    Strum Pattern: | D – D – D – D – | or | D–dududu |    Roman Numerals: i, III, iv, VI    Instrument: Guitar - Standard Tuning [E,A,D,G,B,E]   
Song Notes:  
Music by Stan Jones (”Ghost Riders in the Sky”, 1948).
Lyrics by Sean Morey, 1988.
This version follows the 1948 arrangement.

4/4 time. Strum pattern: | D – D – D – D – |

To make it more brisk, you can play TWO Island-Strum patterns for each chord: | D–du–uduDdu–udu |

NOTE: Where you see this symbol: "%" — called a simile mark or bar-repeat sign — it means that you repeat the previous chord.
Entered by: Cheryl Leon Levy   
▼ Show transpose, instrument, and other display options ▼
Am
(A,C,E)

- A E A C E
C
(C,E,G)

x,3,2,0,1,0
- C E G C E
Dm
(D,F,A)

- - D A D F
F
(F,A,C)

F C F A C F


Intro
4 beats per chord
"%" throughout means: repeat the previous chord (for another 4 beats)
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
%
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third
]
%
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
%

Verse 1
A [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
chicken farmer took a walk out
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third
]
on his farm one day %
And [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
by the coop he rested as he
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third
]
went along his way %
When [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
all at once a rotten egg
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
hit him in the eye
It [FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
was the sight he dreaded:
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
... Ghost
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
chickens in the sky % %

Chorus 1
NOTE: the 2nd line of each chorus is more drawn out than those same words are in the Verses.
Don't change the strum, just be aware and play all 4 beats per chord.
Bok– [CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third
]
–baaak ... % ... bok–
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
–baaak ... %
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
Ghost ... chickens
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
in ... the
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
sky ... %

Verse 2
This [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
farmer had these chickens since
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third
]
he was twenty–four
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third
]
// (extra two beats here only)
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
Working for the “Kernel” for
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third
]
thirty years or more %
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
Raising all those chickens up to
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
send them off to fry
And [FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
now they want revenge:
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
... Ghost
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
chickens in the sky % %

Chorus 2
Bok– [CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third
]
–baaak ... % ... bok–
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
–baaak ... %
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
Ghost ... chickens
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
in ... the
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
sky ... %

Verse 3
Their [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
beaks were black and shiny, their
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third
]
eyes were blazing red
They [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
had no meat or feathers – Oh! These
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third
]
chickens all were dead!
They [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
raised that farmer up and he
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
died by the claw
Note: The next line leaves out the Dm from other verses:
They [FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
cooked him extra crispy, and
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
served him with cole slaw %

Chorus 3
Bok– [CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third
]
–baaak ... % ... bok–
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
–baaak ... %
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
Ghost ... chickens
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
in ... the
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
sky ... %

Verse 4
So [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
let this song remind you, if you
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third
]
want eternal peace
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third
]
// (extra two beats here only)
Don’t [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
raise up harmless poultry for to
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third
]
cook ’em up in grease %
Re– [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
–member: don’t raise animals that
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
you will some day kill
For a [FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
chicken may come haunt you
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
... but
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
tofu never will % %

Outro
Bok– [CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third
]
–baaak ... % ... bok–
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
–baaak ... % %
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
Ghost ... chickens
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
in ... the
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
sky ... %
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
Ghost ... chickens
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
in ... the
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
sky ...
one last strum, let it ring:
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/– – –