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Editorβs notes
Hey friends, hereβs a brand new guitar lesson & attached PDF chord sheet for βClay Pigeonsβ as covered by John Prine (originally written by Blaze Foley). In this lesson Iβll start off by showing you a no capo, βeasy strumβ version of the song β using only the common G C D chords. In the second half of the lesson, weβll put a capo on the 3rd fret and learn the exact fingerstyle Travis picking tab that John Prine plays on his 2005 album βFair and Squareβ. As always, Iβll break everything down step by step. Hereβs a list of what I teach in this tutorial, along with timestamps if you want to jump ahead:
Easy-strum version (no capo)
- 2:02 Basic chord shapes
- 2:36 Verse & chorus progressions
- 5:25 Strumming patterns
Travis Picking (fingerstyle, capo 3)
- 9:06 Chord shapes for Travis picking
- 12:34 Right thumb technique
- 14:08 Fingerpicking the intro
- 21:03 Fingerpicking the verses
- 24:14 Farewell
I recorded this on Monday, and John Prine passed away the following evening while I was doing the editing :( Obviously, horrible news. Itβs my hope that this lesson helps you enjoy his music & share it with others via guitar.
Lyrics with chords
Add capo 3rd fret to play along with John Prine.
INTRO
| G | G | C | C |
| G | G | D | D |
| G | G | C | C |
| G | D | G | G |
VERSE
G C
I'm goin' down to the Greyhound station, gonna buy a ticket to ride
G D
I'm gonna find that lady with two or three kids, and sit down by her side
G C
Ride 'til the sun comes up and down around, about two or three times
G D
Smokin' cigarettes in the last seat... sing a song for the people I meet
G C
And get along with it all... go where the people say "Y'all"
G D
Sing a song with a friend... change the shape that I'm in
CHORUS
G C G D
And get back in the game, and start playin' again
[G] I'd like to stay, but I might have to go to start [C] over again
I might go [G] back down to Texas, or go to somewhere that [D] I've never been
And get [G] up in the mornin' and go out at night, and I won't [C] have to go home
Get used to [G] being alone... change the [D] words to this song
[G] And start singin' again [C] [G] [D]
[instrumental verse]
I'm tired of [G] running 'round looking for answers to questions that I [C] already know
I could [G] build me a castle of memories, just to have [D] somewhere to go
Count the [G] days and the nights that it takes to get back in the [C] saddle again
Feed the [G] pigeons some clay... turn the [D] night into day
And start [G] talking again, when I [C] know what to say [G] [D]
I'm going [G] down to the Greyhound station, gonna buy a [C] ticket to ride
I'm gonna [G] find that lady with two or three kids, and sit [D] down by her side
[G] Ride 'til the sun comes up and down, around about [C] two or three times
Smoking [G] cigarettes in the last seat, sing my [D] song for the people I meet
And get [G] along with it all... where the [C] people say "Y'all"
Feed the [G] pigeons some clay... turn the [D] night into day
And start [G] talking again, when I [C] know what to say [G] [D]
[instrumental verse]
Intro tab
My suggestion for learning this, especially if youβre new to Travis picking: first, focus on just the right thumb, which will be playing alternating bass notes on the 6th and 4th strings. Only after youβre comfortable with this, add the right index (and possibly right middle) fingers, which will be playing the notes on the thinnest 3 strings.
Part 1 of 2:
E ||ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
B ||ββββββββ0βββββββββ0h1βββ0βββββββββ|ββββββββ1βββββββββ1h3βββ1βββββββββ|β
G ||ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
D ||ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ|ββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββ|β
A ||ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
E ||ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ|ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ|β
G C
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
E β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
B β|ββββββββ0βββββββββ0h1βββ0βββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββ0h1βββ0βββββββββ|β
G β|ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββ2βββββββββββββββββββ2βββββ|β
D β|ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ|ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ|β
A β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
E β|ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ|ββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ|β
G D
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Part 2 of 2:
E β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
B β|ββββββββ0βββββββββ0h1βββ0βββββββββ|ββββββββ1βββββββββ1h3βββ1βββββββββ|β
G β|ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
D β|ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ|ββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββ|β
A β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
E β|ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ|ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ|β
G C
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
E β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββ3βββββββββββββββ||
B β|ββββββββ0ββββββββββββββ0h1ββββββββ|ββββββββ0βββ3βββββ0βββββββββββββββ||
G β|ββ0βββββββββββββββ2βββββββββ0βββββ|ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
D β|ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ|ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ||
A β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
E β|ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ|ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ||
G D G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Hereβs the right thumb notes for each chord, to help you visualize what your right thumb has to have absolute mastery over. I think of this as an βengineβ that must keep chugging along at all times. Only after youβre fully competent at playing this (through the progression, with the chord changes, etc) β should you add the additional notes on the thinnest 3 strings.
E βββββββββββ E βββββββββββ E βββββββββββ
B βββββββββββ B βββββββββββ B βββββββββββ
G βββββββββββ G βββββββββββ G βββββββββββ
D ββββ0βββ0ββ D ββββ2βββ2ββ D ββββ0βββ0ββ <== right thumb
A βββββββββββ A βββββββββββ A βββββββββββ
E ββ3βββ3ββββ E ββ3βββ3ββββ E ββ2βββ2ββββ <== right thumb
G C D
How to play the chords
If youβre just strumming, you can use these typical voicings. However, if your aim is to play fingerstyle in the fashion of John Prine, see the chords I show further below.
E βββ3ββββ0ββββ2βββ
B βββ0ββββ1ββββ3βββ
G βββ0ββββ0ββββ2βββ
D βββ0ββββ2ββββ0βββ
A βββ2ββββ3ββββββββ
E βββ3βββββββββββββ
G C D
To play fingerstyle, the first two chords youβll want to learn are the G and C (technically, the C is a βC/Gβ - but weβll refer to it as a C for simplicity going forward). The great part about these two chords, is that your left ring finger stays in the exact same position for both chords. The only βtransitionβ you do is putting your left middle & index fingers down for the C, and then lifting them up again for the G.
E ββββββ E ββββββ
B ββ0βββ B ββ1βββ <= Left index finger
G ββ0βββ G ββ0βββ
D ββ0βββ D ββ2βββ <= Left middle finger
A ββββββ A ββββββ
E ββ3βββ <= Left ring finger E ββ3βββ <= Left ring finger
G C
Next, letβs add this D chord (technically, itβs a D/F# β but again, letβs keep it simple and refer to it as D). This one is trickier, because youβll need do a bit more finger re-positioning than you will when playing the C & G. First learn this chord by itself, then practice going from the G or C to this chord, and back again. If this chord totally stumps you, ignore it and follow the rest of the lesson only using the G and C chords.
E ββββββ
B ββ1βββ <= Left index finger
G ββ2βββ <= Left ring finger
D ββ0βββ
A ββ0βββ
E ββ2βββ <= Left middle finger
D
Fingerpicking the verse
During the verse, youβll want to keep up the Travis picking but slightly dial down the flourish. Hereβs the tab I like to use. This may not be 100% what John Prine plays, but itβs close enough. Again, the main idea is to keep your right thumb chugginβ along like an engine, whilst adding occasional notes with your right index and/or middle fingers β just to flesh things out a bit, and make sure things donβt sound too empty & minimal. Feel free to improvise, or otherwise deviate away from these tabs! These are just simple suggested starting points.
E ββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββ0βββ ββββββββ0βββββββββββββββ0βββββββββ <= right middle finger
G ββ0βββ ββ0βββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββ <= right index finger
D ββ0βββ ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ <= right thumb
A ββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E ββ3βββ ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ <= right thumb
G 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
E ββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββ1βββ ββββββββ1βββββββββββββββ1βββββββββ <= right middle finger
G ββ0βββ ββ0βββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββ <= right index finger
D ββ2βββ ββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββ <= right thumb
A ββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E ββ3βββ ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ <= right thumb
C 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
E ββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββ1βββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G ββ2βββ ββ2βββββ2βββ2βββββ2βββββ2βββ2βββββ <= right index finger
D ββ0βββ ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ <= right thumb
A ββ0βββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E ββ2βββ ββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ <= right thumb
D 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Strumming pattern
If you want to strum instead of playing fingerstyle, hereβs a few tabs I recommend trying out. Use what works for you! For both these patterns, I tend to play only the bass note (of whatever chord is being played) on the β1β count of that measure.
Pattern #1: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D U U D U "Down, down up, up down up"
Pattern #2: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D D U D U "Down, down, down up down up"
Chord progressions
Just for context, hereβs the chord progressions used in the intro, verse, and chorus of this song.
Intro: | G | G | C | C |
| G | G | D | D |
| G | G | C | C |
| G | D | G | G |
Verse: "I'm going down to the Greyhound station..."
| G | G | C | C |
| G | G | D | D |
...repeat
Chorus: "And get back in the game, and start playing again..."
| G | C | G | D |
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