Artist: Stan Jones
Genre: Country
Strum Pattern: | D – D – D – D – | or | D – d u d u d u |
Roman Numerals: i, III, iv, VI
Instrument: Guitar - Standard Tuning [E,A,D,G,B,E]
Song Notes:
Music by Stan Jones, 1948.
Recording @ YouTube4/4 time. Strum pattern: | D – D – D – D – |
To make it more brisk, you can play TWO strum patterns for each chord: | D-dududuD-dududu |
NOTE: Where you see this symbol: "%" — called a simile mark or bar-repeat sign — it means that you repeat the previous chord.
Cheryl Leon Levy
Capo 3rd fret
|
|
C
(C,E,G)
 |
| - |
C |
E |
G |
C |
E |
|
|
|
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] % % |
| An |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] old cowpoke went ridin' out one |
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third] dark and windy day % |
| Up |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] on a ridge 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 mighty herd of |
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] red-eyed cows he saw |
| A– |
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth] –plowin' through the ragged skies |
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] ... And |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] up a cloudy draw % % |
| Yippie–eye– |
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third] –ayyy ... % ... Yippie–eye– |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] –ohhh ... % |
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth] Ghost ... riders |
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] in ... the |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] sky ... % |
| Their |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] brands were still on fire, and their |
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third] hooks were made of steel |
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third] // (extra two beats here) |
| Their |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] horns were black and shiny and their |
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third] hot breath he could feel % |
| A |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] bolt of fear shot through him as they |
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] thundered through the sky |
| For he |
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth] saw the riders comin' hard |
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] ... And he |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] heard their mournful cry % % |
| Yippie–eye– |
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third] –ayyy ... % ... Yippie–eye– |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] –ohhh ... % |
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth] Ghost ... riders |
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] in ... the |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] sky ... % |
| Their |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] faces gaunt, their eyes were blurred, their |
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third] shirts all soaked with sweat |
| They're |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] ridin' hard to catch that herd but |
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third] they ain't caught 'em yet |
| 'Cause they've |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] got to ride forever on the |
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] range up in the sky |
Note: The next line leaves out the Dm from other verses:
| On |
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth] horses snorting fire as they |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] ride 'em, hear them cry % |
| Yippie–eye– |
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third] –ayyy ... % ... Yippie–eye– |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] –ohhh ... % |
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth] Ghost ... riders |
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] in ... the |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] sky ... % |
| As the |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] riders loped on by him, he |
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third] heard one call his name |
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third] // (extra two beats here) |
| If you |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] want to save your soul from hell, a– |
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third] ridin' on our range % |
| Then, |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] cow-boy, change your ways today or |
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] with us you will ride |
| A– |
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth] tryin' to catch that devil's herd |
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] ... a– |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] cross these endless skies % % |
| Yippie–eye– |
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Third] –ayyy ... % ... Yippie–eye– |
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] –ohhh ... % % |
| The |
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Sixth] ghost ... herd |
[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 ... riders |
[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] /– – – |
Note that in recorded version (if playing along) he ends with C chords instead of Am chords