Pancho and Lefty chords
by Willie Nelson & Merle HaggardOriginal Published Key: D Major
Time Signature: 4/4
Tempo: 122 bpm
Guitar Tuning: Standard (E A D G B e)
Skill Level: Beginner 🟢
Guitar Chords: D, G, A, Bm
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Pancho and Lefty
Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other keyIntro: 4/4
D A G A G A D D G D G D A D
‖: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + :‖
D
| | % | % | % |
D
1. Li-ving on the road my friend
A
Was gon-na keep you free and clean
G
And now you wear your skin like i-ron
D A
And your breath as hard as ke-ro-sene
G
You weren't your ma-ma's only boy
D G
But her fa-vo-rite one, it seems
Bm G A
She be-gan to cry when you said good - | bye | % |
G Bm Bm G A
And sank in-to your dreams | 1+ 2+ 3 + 4+ |
D
2. Pan-cho was a ban-dit boy
A
His horse was fast as po-lished steel
G
He wore his gun outside his pants
D A
For all the ho-nest world to feel
G
Pan-cho met his match, you know
D G
On the de-serts down in Me-xi-co
Bm G A
No-bo-dy heard his dy-ing words | % |
G Bm Bm A
Ah, but that's the way it | goes | 1+ 2+ 3+ 4+|
G
Chorus: All the Fed-e-ra-les say
D G
They could have had him a-ny day
Bm G A
They on-ly let him slip a-way
G Bm
Out of kind-ness, I sup - | pose | % |
D
3. Lef-ty, he can't sing the blues
A
All night long like he used to
G
The dust that Pan-cho bit down south
D A
En-ded up in Lef-ty's mouth
G
The day they laid poor Pan-cho low
D G
Lef-ty split for O-hi-o
Bm G A
Where he got the bread to go | % |
G Bm Bm A
There ain't no-body | knows | 1+ 2+ 3+ 4+ |
G
Chorus: All the Fed-e-ra-les say
D G
They could have had him a-ny day
Bm G A
We on-ly let him slip a-way
G Bm Bm A G D
Out of kind-ness, I sup - | pose | 1+ 2+ 3+ 4+ | | | % |
G G D G Bm
Instr: | | | | | |
G A A G Bm Bm G A
| 1+ 2+ 3+ 4+ | | | | 1+ 2+ 3 + 4+ |
D
4. The po-ets tell how Pan-cho fell
A
And Lef-ty's li-ving in cheap ho-tels
G
The de-sert's quiet, Cleve-land's cold
D A
So the sto-ry ends, we're told
G
Pan-cho needs your prayers, it's true
D G
Save a few for Lef-ty too
Bm G A
He on-ly did what he had to do | % |
G Bm Bm G A
And now he's grow-ing old | 1+ 2+ 3+ 4+ |
G
Chorus: All the Fed-e-ra-les say
D G
They could have had him a-ny day
Bm G A
On-ly let him go so long
G Bm Bm A
Out of kind-ness, I sup-|pose |1+ 2+ 3+ 4+ |
G
Chorus: A few great Fed-e-ra-les say
D G
They could have had him a-ny day
Bm G A
They on-ly let him go so long
G Bm G A D
Out of kind-ness, I sup-|pose | % |1+ 2+ 3+ 4+ | |
Arrangement Details:
- Key Signature: D Major - 2 sharps (F#, C#)
- Time Signature: 4/4 — Four quarter-note beats per measure
- Tempo: Moderately
- Metronome: ♩ = 122
- Voice Range: A3 - D5
Song Details:
- Songwriter: Townes Van Zandt
- Date: 1972
- Lyrics Begin: Living on the road, my friend, was gonna keep you free and clean; and now you wear your skin like iron, and your breath as hard as kerosene.
- Genre: Country, Outlaw Country
- Featured Artists: Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard
- Album: Pancho & Lefty
Recorded: November 1982
Released: January 1983 - Single:
Released: April 30, 1983
B-side: Opportunity to Cry
Other songs by Willie Nelson:
| Song | Capo | Key | Core Chords |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Woman's Love | - | Dm | Dm, F, Gm, A7, Bb |
| All Of Me | - | G | G, Am, A7, B7, Bm, Cm, D7, Em, E7 |
| Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground | - | A | A, Bm7, C, C#, C#m, D, D#dim7, E, F#m, G#m |
| Blue Skies | - | Bm→Cm | Bm, D, Eb7, F#, F#7, G7, A7 → Cm, Eb, Fm7, Ab, Bb7 |
| City Of New Orleans | - | D | D, E, F#m, G, A, Bm, C |
| Georgia On My Mind | +1 | C | C, C7, D7, D9, Dm7, Daug, D#7, E7, Eaug, Em7, F, F7, F#dim7, G7, G7#5, A, A7, Am, Am7, Bb, B7 |
| Have You Ever Seen the Rain | - | A | A, Amaj7, D, E, F#m, F#m7 |
| The Highwayman | - | Bm | Bm, D, Em, G, A |
| Old Timer | - | D | D, E, Em7, F#m, F#7, G, A, Bm |
| On The Road Again | +4 | C | C, C7, Dm, E7, F, G7 |
