Video lesson
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Editorβs notes
In this video Iβll teach you how to play βTennessee Flat Top Boxβ by Johnny Cash, including a tutorial for the intro tab, the chords needed, strumming patterns used, and more! This is one of the funnest Cash songs to play, in my opinion β it combines simple verse chords & strumming with a complicated (but approachable) riff heard in the intro and interlude. Enjoy! Make sure you put a capo on 3 if you want to play along with Cashβs album version.
- 0:00 Lesson preview & greeting
- 1:23 Capo or no capo?
- 1:57 Verse chords
- 2:45 Verse strumming
- 3:45 Verse lyrics & chord changes
- 4:36 Main riff, part 1 of 2
- 7:32 Main riff, part 2 of 2
- 11:01 Riff extras: how to transition back to verse
- 14:36 Riff extras: how its played in songβs intro
- 16:10 Full song playthrough
My full play-along cover
Capo to play along with Johnny Cash
If you want to play along with Johnny Cashβs version, use the chords I show you with a capo on the 3rd fret. Iβm choosing not to play with a capo to keep things simple and accessible.
Chords needed
These are the chords youβll need for the verse:
e βββ3ββββ2ββββ
B βββ0ββββ1ββββ
G βββ0ββββ2ββββ
D βββ0ββββ0ββββ
A βββ2βββββββββ
E βββ3βββββββββ
G D7
Intro riff
This is whatβs heard in the opening measures of the song:
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G βββββββββ3/4ββ4β4βββββββββββ3/4ββ4β4βββββββββββββββββββββββββ
D ββ2β3β4ββ4/5ββ5β5ββ0ββ0β0βββ4/5ββ5β5ββ0ββ0β0βββ/5ββ3ββ2ββ0βββ
A βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββ0βββββββββ ββββ3ββββββββββββ
B βββββ1βββββββββ ββββ0ββββββββββββ
G βββββ0βββββββββ --> ββββ0ββββββββββββ ...repeat this
D βββββ2βββββββββ ββββ0ββ2β0ββ2β0ββ G four times
A ββ3ββββββ2ββ0ββ ββββ2ββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββ ββ3ββββββββββββββ
C G
Interlude riff
This one is very similar to the intro riff, the only difference being how it begins. Note that they both end the same.
Play through these two sections twice:
E ||ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
B ||ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
G ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ0β0ββββββββββββββ|β
D ||ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ2βββββββ2ββ3ββ2ββ0ββ|β
A ||βββββ0ββ2ββ3βββββ0ββ2ββ3βββββ0ββ2ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
E ||ββ3βββββββββββ3βββββββββββ3βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
E β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
B β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
G β|β3/4ββ4β4ββββββββββββ3/4ββ4β4βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
D β|β4/5ββ5β5ββ0ββ0β0ββββ4/5ββ5β5ββ0ββ0β0ββββ/5ββ3ββ2ββ0ββββββ||
A β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ3βββ||
E β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
Then, play this to end it and transition into the next verse:
E βββββ0βββββββββ ββββ3ββββββββββββ
B βββββ1βββββββββ ββββ0ββββββββββββ
G βββββ0βββββββββ --> ββββ0ββββββββββββ ...repeat this
D βββββ2βββββββββ ββββ0ββ2β0ββ2β0ββ G four times
A ββ3ββββββ2ββ0ββ ββββ2ββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββ ββ3ββββββββββββββ
C G
Lyrics w/ chords
VERSE 1
G D7
In a little cabaret in a South Texas border town
D7 G
Sat a boy and his guitar, and the people came from miles around
G D7
And all the girls... from there to Austin
D7 G
Were slipping away from home and putting jewelry in hock
G D7
To take the trip... to go and listen
D7 G
To the little dark-haired boy who played the Tennessee flat top box
(start riff)
And he would play...
VERSE 2
G D7
Well, he couldn't ride or wrangle, and he never cared to make a dime
D7 G
But give him his guitar, and he'd be happy all the time
G D7
And all the girls... from nine to ninety
D7 G
Were snapping fingers, tapping toes, and begging him don't stop
G D7
And hypnotized... and fascinated
D7 G
By the little dark-haired boy who played the Tennessee flat top box
(start riff)
And he would play...
VERSE 3
G D7
Then one day he was gone, and no one ever saw him 'round
D7 G
He'd vanished like the breeze, they forgot him in the little town
G D7
But all the girls... still dreamed about him
D7 G
And hung around the cabaret until the doors were locked
G D7
And then one day... on the Hit Parade
D7 G
Was a little dark-haired boy who played the Tennessee flat top box
(start riff)
And he would play...
Good luck!
Let me know if you have questions. I hope this was helpful. Be sure to check out my other Johnny Cash lessons, I have a bunch!
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