Riders In The Sky Chords

KeyEm CapoNone TuningStandard Difficulty Plays438

Riders In The Sky by Sons Of The Pioneers is a moderately challenging guitar song played in the key of Em. It uses the chords Em, G, C/E, A/E, C, Am and D. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.

Transpose
Em
Text
16
Speed
  			         Em                                             G   
An old cowpoke went riding out one dark and windy day.  
        Em  
Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way,  
            Em                 (C/E)              (A/E)              (C/E)  
When all at once a mighty herd of red-eyed cows he saw  
            C                                (Am)                       Em  
a-plowing through the ragged sky and up a cloudy draw.  
  
 
         G             Em    (D)  
Ki-ay, yippee-ai-o!  
        C           (Am)    Em  
Ghost herd in the sky  
  
                 Em                                            G   
Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel,  
                Em  
Their horns were black and shiny and their hot breath he could feel.  
         Em                                  (C/E)               (A/E)            (C/E)           
A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky.   
                 C                          (Am)                     Em  
For he saw the riders coming hard  and he heard their mournful cry:  
  
 
      Em            G   Em    C                  Em 
Ki-ay, yippie-i-o!     Ghost riders in the sky.     

(Instrumental break) 

                Em                                    G   
As the riders loped on by him, he heard one call his name:  
                 Em  
"If you want to save your soul from hell, a-riding on our range,  
                 Em                     (C/E)                      (A/E)            (C/E)   
Then, cowboy, change your ways today or with us you will ride  
        C                                (Am)           Em  
Trying to catch the devil's herd   across these endless skies. 

 
        Em      C           Em          C               Em 
Yippie-i-ay,   yippie-i-o!      Ghost riders in the sky.     




    	

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