Guitar lesson for
Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys
by Waylon Jennings β’ Lesson #118
Video lesson
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Editorβs notes
In this lesson, Iβll teach you how to play an acoustic guitar version of βMammas Donβt Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboysβ as performed by Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings (1978). This song only requires 3 chords, but Iβll also show the optional key change used in the second verse. Chords, tabs, strumming patterns, playthrough β itβs all included!
Video timestamps:
- 0:00 Lesson overview
- 1:28 Chords needed
- 2:29 Strumming patterns
- 6:10 Verse #1 playthrough
- 7:29 Key change in verse #2
Chords needed
Quite simple! Three chords only, played in the same order for the verse and the chorus. If you want to change key in the second verse, youβll need the E A and B7 as shown below (this isnβt required though, if youβre doing a campfire version).
E βββ2ββββ3ββββ0ββββ βββ0ββββ0ββββ2βββ
B βββ3ββββ0ββββ2ββββ βββ0ββββ2ββββ0βββ
G βββ2ββββ0ββββ0ββββ βββ1ββββ2ββββ2βββ
D βββ0ββββ0ββββ2ββββ βββ2ββββ2ββββ1βββ
A ββββββββ2ββββ0ββββ βββ2ββββ0ββββ2βββ
E ββββββββ3βββββββββ βββ0βββββββββββββ
D G A7 E A B7
Strumming pattern
Hereβs a few ways to approach it. For starters, think of things in groups of 3. Begin with down strums on the β1β counts only.
D = down strum
U = up strum
1 + 2 + 3 + 1 + 2 + 3 +
D D
From there, add smaller / weaker down strums on the β2β and β3β counts, keeping the accent (emphasis) on the β1β.
1 + 2 + 3 + 1 + 2 + 3 +
D d d D d d
Then, if you desire, you can add upstrums in between the smaller down strums:
1 + 2 + 3 + 1 + 2 + 3 +
D d u d u D d u d u
Said out loud, this would be βDOWN, down up down upβ¦ DOWN, down up down upβ¦ β.
Strumming with alternating bass notes
This isnβt required, but is a fun way to spice up the song a bit. Which is, alternating bass notes on the chords you strum. Examples below. See video lesson for reference.
E ββββββ2β2ββ2β2ββββββ2β2ββ2β2ββββββ2β2ββ2β2ββββββ2β2ββ2β2βββββ
B ββββββ3β3ββ3β3ββββββ3β3ββ3β3ββββββ3β3ββ3β3ββββββ3β3ββ3β3βββββ
G ββββββ2β2ββ2β2ββββββ2β2ββ2β2ββββββ2β2ββ2β2ββββββ2β2ββ2β2βββββ
D βββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A βββββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
D
E ββββββ3β3ββ3β3ββββββ3β3ββ3β3ββββββ3β3ββ3β3ββββββ3β3ββ3β3βββββ
B ββββββ0β0ββ0β0ββββββ0β0ββ0β0ββββββ0β0ββ0β0ββββββ0β0ββ0β0βββββ
G ββββββ0β0ββ0β0ββββββ0β0ββ0β0ββββββ0β0ββ0β0ββββββ0β0ββ0β0βββββ
D ββββββ0β0ββ0β0βββ0ββββββββββββββββ0β0ββ0β0βββ0βββββββββββββββ
A ββββββ2β2ββ2β2ββββββββββββββββββββ2β2ββ2β2βββββββββββββββββββ
E βββ3βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ3βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G
E ββββββ0β0ββ0β0ββββββ0β0ββ0β0βββββββββ0β0ββ0β0ββββββ0β0ββ0β0ββ
B ββββββ2β2ββ2β2ββββββ2β2ββ2β2βββββββββ2β2ββ2β2ββββββ2β2ββ2β2ββ
G ββββββ0β0ββ0β0ββββββ0β0ββ0β0βββββββββ0β0ββ0β0ββββββ0β0ββ0β0ββ
D ββββββ2β2ββ2β2βββ2βββββββββββββββββββ2β2ββ2β2βββ2ββββββββββββ
A βββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A7
Lyrics w/ chords
VERSE #1
D G
Cowboys ain't easy to love and they're harder to hold
A7 D
They'd rather give you a song than diamonds or gold
D G
Lone star belt buckles and old faded Levi's and each night begins a new day
A7 D
If you don't understand him and he don't die young, he'll probably just ride away
CHORUS
D G
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
A7
Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks
A7 D
Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
D G
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
A7
'Cause they'll never stay home and they're always alone
A7 D
Even with someone they love
VERSE #2
E A
Cowboys like smokey old pool rooms and clear mountain mornings
B7 E
Little warm puppies and children and girls of the night
E
Them that don't know him won't like him
A
And them that do sometimes won't know how to take him
B7
He ain't wrong he's just different
E
But his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right
CHORUS
E A
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
B7
Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks
B7 E
Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
E A
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
B7
'Cause they'll never stay home and they're always alone
B7 E
Even with someone they love
Good luck!
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