Tennessee Waltz chords

by Patti Page

Song Key: Eb Major → Bb Major

Time Signature: 3/4

Tempo: 88 bpm


Guitar Tuning: Standard (E A D G B e)

Skill Level: Beginner 🟢

Capo: 3rd fret (Play using Key of C & G shapes)

Chords in C & G Major: C, C7, F, G, G7, D, D7, E7

Arrangement Song Details
R-H Chord Charts Chord Chart Legend
C Major C7 G Major G7 E7 D Major D7 F Major F Major barre chord
L-H Chord Charts Lefties Chord Chart Legend
C Major-LH C7-LH G Major-LH G7-LH E7-LH D Major-LH D7-LH F Major-LH F Major barre chord-LH
Performance Video
Speed: x0.1

Tennessee Waltz

Capo on 3 if playing with the video.
Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key 
               C           C           G     C 
Intro: 3/4 ‖     |  %  |     |  /  /     |     ‖
                                             (I was)
         C
1. I was dan-cin' with my dar-lin'
          C7          F
   To the Ten-nes-see Waltz
           C                         G      G7
   When an old friend I hap-pened to see |      |
          C        
   In-tro-duced her to my loved one
       C7              F
   And while they were dan-cin'
      C               G7               C
   My friend stole my sweet-heart from me

             C           E7            F           C
Chorus: I re-mem-ber the night and the Ten-nes-see Waltz
              C                         G       G7
        Now I know just how much I have lost |      |
               C                              C7              F
        Yes, I lost my little dar-lin'    The night they were playing
            C           G7          C          D7
        The beau-ti-ful Ten-nes-see Waltz |(Key change)|...  

          G           G7     C     G           D     D7
Instr: ‖     |  %  |      |     |     |  %  |     |     ‖
          G           G7     C     G     D7    G     G7
       ‖     |  %  |      |     |     |     |     |      ‖
       
            C
2. I was dan-cin' with my dar-lin'
          C7          F
   To the Ten-nes-see Waltz
           C                         G      G7
   When an old friend I hap-pened to see |      |
          C        
   In-tro-duced her to my loved one
       C7              F
   And while they were dan-cin'
      C               G7               C
   My friend stole my sweet-heart from me

             C           E7            F           C
Chorus: I re-mem-ber the night and the Ten-nes-see Waltz
              C                         G       G7   
        Now I know just how much I have lost |      |
               C                              C7              F  
        Yes, I lost my little dar-lin'    The night they were play-ing
            C           G7          C        C  
        The beau-ti-ful Ten-nes-see Waltz |  𝄑  |...

Arrangement Details:

  • Key Signatures:
    Eb Major - 3 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab)
    Bb Major - 2 flats (Bb, Eb)
  • Piano / Original Chords Set: Eb, Eb7, Ab, Bb, Bb7, F, F7, G7
  • Time Signature: 3/4 — Three quarter-note beats per measure
  • Tempo: Country Waltz
  • Metronome: ♩ = 88
  • Voice Range: E♭4 - B♭5
  • Chord Types in This Arrangement:
    • Major: C, G, F, D, E
    • Dominant 7th: C7, G7, E7, D7
Key Changes:
The song is in C major, with a brief modulation to G major during the Instrumental. The final two bars of the Instrumental (G and G7) act as pivot chords shared by both keys, so the return to C major feels smooth and almost unnoticeable. Because G → G7 already functions as the dominant in C, the transition back into the verse doesn’t sound like a dramatic key change — it simply settles naturally into the home key.

Song Details:

Patti Page
Patti Page
  • Songwriters: Redd Stewart, Pee Wee King
  • Date: 1948
  • Lyrics Begin: I was dancin' with my darlin' to the Tennessee Waltz when an old friend I happened to see.
  • Genre: Country
  • Featured Artist: Patti Page
  • Single:
    Recorded: November 1950
    Released: November 1950
    B-side (original release): Boogie Woogie Santa Claus
    B-side (reissue release): Long, Long Ago
  • Album: Tennessee Waltz
    Released: 1952
    Format: 10" Vinyl, LP
    Label: Mercury Records
Song / Artist Capo Key Chords
Angel from Montgomery - Bonnie Raitt - E E, A, A7, B, B7, D
I Fall To Pieces - Patsy Cline +1 A A, A7, A/C#, Bm, Bm7, D, Eb, E, E7
King Of The Road - Roger Miller - Bb→B Bb, Eb, F7 → B, E, F#7
Seven Spanish Angels - Ray Charles & Willie Nelson +1 E→F E, E7, A, B7, C#m → F, F7, Bb, C7
Speed of the Sound of Loneliness - Nanci Griffith - C C, F, G
Sweet Dreams - Patsy Cline +1 G G, A7, D7, C, Em
Walkin' After Midnight - Patsy Cline - C C, C7, F, F7, G, G7
The Jim Reeves Collection (6 songs) - - Various
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