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Editor’s notes
In this lesson I’ll teach you how to play “Angel Flight” by Radney Foster. This song uses the chords of E-A-B-C#m, but is unconventional in the voicing used for each chord. Specifically, we’ll be leaving the thinnest two strings open at all times. This not only makes it sound a bit more interesting, but also makes it far easier to play… which is nice! I’ll teach you these chords, explain the intro riff (with tabs), and talk about strumming pattern. I Thanks very much to Patreon supporter Dennis for this request.
Lyrics with chords
INTRO
E –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
B –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
G –|––––––1–––––––1–––––––1–––––4–4–4–|–––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2––|–
D –|––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––4–4–4–|–––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2––|–
A –|––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2–|–0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–0–0–0––|–
E –|––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
E B A
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
v v v v v v v ^ v ^ v v v v v v v ^ v ^
VERSE
E C#m
All I ever wanted to do was fly
A E
Leave this world and live in the--- sky
E C#m
I left the C130 out of Fort Worth town
A E
I go up some days I don't wanna come--- down
CHORUS
A C#m
Well, I fly that plane... called the Angel Flight
A E
Come on brother you're with me tonight
A C#m
Between heaven and earth you're never alone
A B E
On the Angel Flight... come on brother I'm taking you home [play intro x1 on "home"]
VERSE
E C#m
I love my family and I love this land
A E
But tonight this flight's for another---- man
E C#m
We do what we do because we heard the call
A E
Some gave a little, but he gave it all
CHORUS
A C#m
Well, I fly that plane... called the Angel Flight
A E
Come on brother you're with me tonight
A C#m
Between heaven and earth you're never alone
A B E
On the Angel Flight... come on brother I'm taking you home
A B C#m
Come on brother I'm taking you home [start instrumental on C#m]
INSTRUMENTAL
C#m / A /
C#m / A B
VERSE
[let chords ring]
E C#m
Well, the cockpit's quiet and the stars are bright
A E
Feels kinda like church in here tonight
E C#m
It don't matter where we touch down
A E
On the Angel Flight its sacred ground
CHORUS
A C#m
Well, I fly that plane... called the Angel Flight
A E
Gotta hero riding with us tonight
A C#m
Between heaven and earth... you're never alone
A B E
On the Angel Flight... come on brother I'm taking you home
A B C#m
Come on brother I'm taking you home
A B E
Come on brother I'm taking you home [play intro 2x, end with E chord]
Chords, played normally
Usually, when you see these 4 chords, this is how they’re played. You can use these voicings if you please (but read on).
E –––0–––0–––x–––4––––
B –––0–––2–––4–––5––––
G –––1–––2–––4–––6––––
D –––2–––2–––4–––6––––
A –––2–––0–––2–––4––––
E –––0––––––––––––––––
E A B C#m
Chords, with open B and E strings
This is what he’s playing in the intro, and it sounds like throughout the song! This makes things way easier, and adds a bit of distinction to the sound of the song.
E –––0––––––0––––––0–––––0––––
B –––0––––––0––––––0–––––0––––
G –––1––––––2––––––4–––––6––––
D –––2––––––2––––––4–––––6–––– <-- keep left ring finger on this string
A –––2––––––0––––––2–––––4–––– for all 4 of these chords!
E –––0––––––––––––––––––––––––
E Asus2 Bsus4 C#m
Intro riff (normal)
E –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
B –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
G –|––––––1–––––––1–––––––1–––––4–4–4–|–––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2––|–
D –|––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––4–4–4–|–––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2––|–
A –|––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2–|–0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–0–0–0––|–
E –|––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
E B A
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
v v v v v v v ^ v ^ v v v v v v v ^ v ^
Intro riff (variation)
E –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
B –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
G –|––––––9–––––––9–––––––9–––––8–8–8–|–––––6–––––––6–––––––6–––––6–6–6––|–
D –|––––––9–––––––9–––––––9–––––9–9–9–|–7–––7–––7–––7–––7–––7–––7–7–7–7––|–
A –|––––––7–––––––7–––––––7–––––––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
E –|––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
E B A
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
v v v v v v v ^ v ^ v v v v v v v ^ v ^
Strumming
The main strumming pattern is very straightforward – you’ll do all downstrums, on the quarter notes (1 2 3 4). You’ll want to accent (emphasize) the 2 and 4 counts, while on the 1 and 3 counts you can get away with only playing the 1-2 thickest strings of that chord. This creates a nice amount of space within the song – you don’t want this one to come off as hectic.
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + D = down strum
D D D D U = up strum
> > > = accented strum
If you can manage it, add an up-down-up in the final few counts of every other measure – as shown below.
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + D = down strum
D D D D D D D U D U U = up strum
> > > > > = accented strum
Chord progression cheat sheet
Verse:
| E . . . | E . | C#m . . . | C#m . . . |
| A . . . | A . | E . . . | E . . . |
...play twice
Chorus:
| A . . . | A . . . | C#m . . . | C#m . . . |
| A . . . | A . | E . . . | E . . . |
| A . . . | A . . . | C#m . . . | C#m . . . |
| A . . . | A . . . | B . | E //
...start intro chords on final E
Good luck!
I hope this helped. Remember to check out my video lesson for additional context & explanation.
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