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Editorβs notes
In this lesson Iβll teach you to play the Steve Earle song βCopperhead Roadβ - complete with the intro tab, chords needed for the verse & chorus, the strumming patterns youβll use, and a whole lotta additional tips & tricks to get you on your way. This song came in by request on my Patreon page - I hadnβt heard it before, but am sure glad I know it now! Great fun to play, lots of joy to be had working out that droning D riff. Enjoy!
Video timestamps:
- 0:00 Playthrough & overview
- 2:11 Chords needed
- 4:15 Mastering the D hammer-on
- 5:21 Playing the riff w/ 1 finger
- 6:57 Mastering the D pinky stretch
- 8:53 Learning the full riff
- 14:48 Verse & chorus
- 16:44 Strumming pattern
- 21:02 Final advice
Lyrics with chords
INTRO
Freely strum D, then bring in the full intro riff below (both parts)
Full intro riff:
E β(2)ββββββββββββββββ(2)ββββ|ββxβββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββ3βββ3βββ3ββββββββββ3βββββ|ββxβββββββββββββ3βββ3ββ3ββββ
G ββ0h2β2βββ2ββ4β2β0βββ0h2βββ|ββ5ββ5ββ5β4β0βββ0h2β2ββ0h2ββ
D ββ0βββ0βββ0ββ0β0β0βββ0βββββ|ββ0ββ0ββ0β0β0βββ0βββ0ββ0ββββ
A βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Part #1 Part #2
VERSE
D (riff #1)
Well, my name's John Lee Pettimore...
D (riff #1)
Same as my daddy, and his daddy before...
D (riff #1)
You hardly ever saw Grand daddy down here...
D (riff #1)
He only came to town about twice a year...
D (riff #1)
He'd buy a hundred pounds of yeast and some copper line...
D (riff #1)
Everybody knew that he made moonshine...
CHORUS G C G
Now, the revenue man wanted grand daddy bad
D
He headed up the holler with everything he had
G C G
It's before my time but I've been told
D (let ring) [ full intro riff x2 ]
You never come back from Copperhead Road
VERSE
Now, [D] Daddy ran the whiskey in a big block Dodge
[D] Bought it at an auction at the Mason's Lodge
[D] Johnson County Sheriff painted on the side
Just [D] shot a coat of primer then he looked inside
Well, [D] him and my uncle tore that engine down
I [D] still remember that rumblin' sound
Well, the [G] sheriff came around in the [C] middle of the [G] night
[D] Heard mama cryin', knew something wasn't right
He was [G] headed down to Knoxville with the [C] weekly [G] load
You could [D] smell the whiskey burnin' down Copperhead Road
INTERLUDE
[Power chords] => [Full Intro Riff] => [Chorus Riff]
D x4 D x 2 G C-G D x2
VERSE
I volun[D]teered for the Army on my birthday
They draft the [D] white trash first,'round here anyway
I done [D] two tours of duty in Vietnam
And [D] I came home with a brand new plan
I take the [D] seed from Colombia and Mexico
I just [D] plant it up the holler down Copperhead Road
CHORUS
The [G] D.E.A.'s got a [C] chopper in the [G] air
I [D] wake up screaming like I'm back over there
I [G] learned a thing or two from ol' [C] Charlie don't you [G] know
You [D] better stay away from Copperhead Road
INTERLUDE
[Power chords] => [Full Intro Riff] => [Chorus Riff]
D x4 D x 2 G C-G D x2
Chords needed for this song
Big picture, this song only requires three chords (D G and C). At their most basic, they typically are played like this:
E βββ2βββ3βββ0βββ
B βββ3βββ0βββ1βββ
G βββ2βββ0βββ0βββ
D βββ0βββ0βββ2βββ
A βββββββ2βββ3βββ
E βββββββ3βββββββ
D G C
But there are a few items to note for this song. For one, when playing the D-major chord you may want to try to avoid the high E-string (either donβt strum it, or donβt press your left-hand finger down firmly on that string). This creates more of a neutral βpower chordβ sound to the D-chord, which fits the vibe of this song well. Youβll also want to use this for the βpower chordβ part of the interludes.
"Power chord" D major shape:
E βββxβββ <== don't play
B βββ3βββ <== left ring finger
G βββ2βββ <== left index finger
D βββ0βββ
A βββββββ
E βββββββ
D
For the G and the C, thereβs a few ways you can mix them up as well. For example, you could replace the C with a βCadd9β shape which makes the transition between the two chords a bit easier. Likewise, you could favor the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings to capture a bit of a higher (in pitch) voicing. These alternative voicings arenβt required - but can be fun to learn and have in your pocket.
E ββ3βββ3ββ E βββββββββ E ββ7βββ8ββ
B ββ3βββ3ββ B ββ3βββ5ββ B ββ8βββ8ββ
G ββ0βββ0ββ G ββ4βββ5ββ G ββ7βββ9ββ
D ββ0βββ2ββ D ββ5βββ5ββ D βββββββββ
A ββ2βββ3ββ A βββββββββ A βββββββββ
E ββ3ββββββ E βββββββββ E βββββββββ
G Cadd9 G C G C
Mastering the D-chord hammer-on
One crucial part of the D-major flourish heard in this song involves hammering on the 3rd string note from open (nothing pushed down) to 2nd fret (pushed down with your index finger). Youβll only strum the chord once with your right hand, but by hammering this note on after the strum, it almost sounds as if youβre playing a second strum. This is something youβll want to use quite liberally when playing this song, since youβll be on D so much β adding this little touch can break up the monotony.
E βββxββββ
B βββ3ββββ
G βββ0h2ββ <= strum with no finger pressing down on this string,
D βββ0ββββ and after the strum press your left index finger
A ββββββββ down forcefully. If done right, this will make
E ββββββββ that note ring cleanly (which is the ideal).
D
Mastering the D-chord pinky stretch
The other technique youβll need for the main riff (part 1) involves putting your pinky down on the 4th fret of the 3rd string. This can be tricky to do, especially when youβre trying to keep all your other fingers in the D-major shape.
E ββββββββxβββ
B βββ3ββββ3βββ
G βββ2ββββ4βββ <= add your left pinky on this 4th fret, while your
D βββ0ββββ0βββ left index finger stays on the 2nd fret of the same
A ββββββββββββ string. Get good at moving between these two positions,
E ββββββββββββ slowly at first, before you attempt to play it fast.
D D*
I have an entirely separate lesson on this topic, which I recommend. I explain a few different ways to practice this technique:
Playing the intro riff with one finger
A great way to start off learning this song, especially if the main riff is giving you trouble, is to practice with this approach. Youβll only be playing on two of the strings, and can in fact play it with a single fingerΒ (left hand) if you wanted. I feel that this may help you get the grasp of the timing and melody, which can inject a nice bit of confidence. See my video lesson for reference.
First, start without the hammer-ons:
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G ββ2βββ2βββ2ββ4β2β0βββ2βββββ|ββ5ββ5ββ5β4β0βββ0βββ2ββ2ββββ <== left index finger
D ββ0βββ0βββ0ββ0β0β0βββ0βββββ|ββ0ββ0ββ0β0β0βββ0βββ0ββ0ββββ
A βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Part 1 Part 2
Then, add the hammer-ons (2nd fret of 3rd string):
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G ββ0h2β2βββ2ββ4β2β0βββ0h2βββ|ββ5ββ5ββ5β4β0βββ0h2β2ββ0h2ββ <== left index finger
D ββ0βββ0βββ0ββ0β0β0βββ0βββββ|ββ0ββ0ββ0β0β0βββ0βββ0ββ0ββββ
A βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Part 1 Part 2
Learning the full intro riff
Once you have the simplified riff (above) worked out, hereβs the tab Iβd recommend using for the βfullβ riff. One goal here is to put your left hand in the D-major shape, and not shy away from strumming the 2nd string. Likewise, you can keep your right hand strumming motion a bit more constant, and not be afraid to add in some delicate brushes on the strings as part of your natural rhythm. This may result in some strums that arenβt accounted for in this tab - but thatβs okay!
E β(2)ββββββββββββββββ(2)ββββ|ββxβββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββ3βββ3βββ3ββββββββββ3βββββ|ββxβββββββββββββ3βββ3ββ3ββββ
G ββ0h2β2βββ2ββ4β2β0βββ0h2βββ|ββ5ββ5ββ5β4β0βββ0h2β2ββ0h2ββ
D ββ0βββ0βββ0ββ0β0β0βββ0βββββ|ββ0ββ0ββ0β0β0βββ0βββ0ββ0ββββ
A βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Part #1 Part #2
Strumming pattern
Main pattern:
1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a
d d u d u d d u d d u
As used in the verse:
"Well, my name's John Lee Pettimore..."
D * * * = hammer on 3rd string of D chord
1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a
d d u d u d d u d d u
As used in the chorus:
"Now, the revenue man wanted grand daddy bad..."
G C G
1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a
d d u d u d d u d d u
"He headed up the holler with everything he had..."
D * * * = hammer on 3rd string of D chord
1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a
d d u d u d d u d d u
Interlude power chord strumming
Finally, we have this βpower chordβ rock-out section of the interlude, which involves heavy use of the D power chord. This is characterized by a loud, rapid βdown-up-down-up-downβ strumming pattern, which is followed by a moment of silence before repeating again.
D x D x x = silence all strings
1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a
d u d u d d u d u d
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