The Ballad Of Arkansas Dave Rudebaugh (w/tab) Chords

KeyAm CapoNone TuningStandard Difficulty Plays458

The Ballad Of Arkansas Dave Rudebaugh (w/tab) by Pat Green is a beginner-friendly guitar song played in the key of Am. It uses the chords Am, E and D. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.

Transpose
Am
Text
16
Speed
  			This is kinda complicated to explain but very easy to play once you 
understand what you're doing. 
I play the "bass" part on my acoustic guitar all through the verses. 
I only play actual chords during the chorus and at the end of the last 
verse. You can do whichever suits you. :) 

"bass part" 
               
    Am                     E 
e--------------------|----------------------------------------e 
B--------------------|----------------------------------------B 
G--------------------|----------------------------------------G 
D--------------------|----------------------------------------D 
A--0-3-0----0-3-0----|------0-2-----0-2-----------------------A 
E--------0--------0--|--0-3-----0-3---------------------------E 
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ 
INTRO 

e-------------------------------------------------------------e 
B-------------------------------------------------------------B 
G-------------------------------------------------------------G 
D-------------------------------------------------------------D 
A--0-3-0---0-3-0---0-3-0---0-3-0------------------------------A 
E--------3-------3-------3-------3----------------------------E 
                                                                               

Am - - - - 
My daddy was an outlaw,  

Mom died givin' birth to me. 

They both left me all alone when I was on bended knee. 

Maybe you don't like my story, 

Then I suggest you turn the page. 

I don't need no preacher, 
                            Am(strum) 
I ain't got no soul to save. 

Am           
Well my name is Arkansas Dave Rudebaugh 

And this here is Tennessee Jack. 
                                      E 
Don't you give us any lip now boy or today'll be your last. 
          Am 
When the bank was dry, we said goodbye 

And walked out to the street 
         E 
Where a cloud of bullets come a thunderin' down 
          Am 
and took Tennessee to his knees. 
        Am 
Well I stood there and watched him bleedin' 

Like a fool out in the rain. 
E 
Didn't have time to think when I jumped 
             Am 
Through the banks front window pane. 

Well I grabbed the teller in the blink of an eye, 

Put a colt up to his head. 
        E 
Said, "Careful son, don't you try to run 
      Am 
Or tomorrow you'll wake up dead." 

          D                E                Am 
Yeah, and me, I've got to fly just like an eagle. 
D            E             Am 
Free like a bird upon the wind. 
 D             E                      Am 
Hellfire and brimstone, well they're comin' down on me. 
D              E       Am   - REPEAT INTRO - 
Mister, I was born of sin. 

        Am 
Well I sat down in the corner 

And I rolled a little homegrown. 
                                         E 
Said, "If I'm gonna die today I sure as hell ain't goin' alone." 
       Am 
Well I ran out the bank a'shootin'. 

I was two for two at first, 
       E                           Am 
Til I felt the painful sound as a bullet tore my shirt. 

          D                E                Am 
Yeah, and me, I've got to fly just like an eagle. 
D            E             Am 
Free like a bird upon the wind. 
 D             E                      Am 
Hellfire and brimstone, well they're comin' down on me. 
D              E       Am   - REPEAT INTRO - 
Mister, I was born of sin. 

Am 
Well I crawled back to the alley way 

Where I knew my horse was tied, 
      E 
And that's where all the legends say  

That Arkansas Dave Rudebaugh died,  
                Am  
But I was in a place so far from there 
      E 
In a time so long ago,  
        D 
In the arms of a pretty little senorita  
        E 
On the Gulf of Mexico. 

          D                E                Am 
Yeah, and me, I've got to fly just like an eagle. 
D            E             Am 
Free like a bird upon the wind. 
 D             E                      Am 
Hellfire and brimstone, well they're comin' down on me. 
D              E       Am  - REPEAT INTRO - Am 
Mister, I was born of sin. 

I was born of sin. 

    	

Chord diagrams

Guitar tuner

--
Start the tuner and play a string

Reference tones

Standard tuning, lowest to highest. Click a string to play it; the string the mic hears is highlighted.

Click Start tuner and allow microphone access. The needle centers and turns green when a string is in tune (within 5 cents).
No microphone? You can still tap any string above to hear its exact reference pitch.

Metronome

100 BPM Andante