Guitar lesson for

Clay Pigeons

by John Prine  •  Lesson #294

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Editor’s notes

Hey friends, here’s a brand new guitar lesson & attached PDF chord sheet for “Clay Pigeons” as covered by John Prine (originally written by Blaze Foley). In this lesson I’ll start off by showing you a no capo, “easy strum” version of the song – using only the common G C D chords. In the second half of the lesson, we’ll put a capo on the 3rd fret and learn the exact fingerstyle Travis picking tab that John Prine plays on his 2005 album “Fair and Square”. As always, I’ll break everything down step by step. Here’s a list of what I teach in this tutorial, along with timestamps if you want to jump ahead:

Easy-strum version (no capo)

Travis Picking (fingerstyle, capo 3)

I recorded this on Monday, and John Prine passed away the following evening while I was doing the editing :( Obviously, horrible news. It’s 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 you’re 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 you’re 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 ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
B ||––––––––0–––––––––0h1–––0–––––––––|––––––––1–––––––––1h3–––1–––––––––|–
G ||––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
D ||––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––|––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––|–
A ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
E ||––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––|––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––|–
      G                                  C                               
      1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +    1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

E –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
B –|––––––––0–––––––––0h1–––0–––––––––|––––––––––––––––––0h1–––0–––––––––|–
G –|––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|––––––––2–––––––––––––––––––2–––––|–
D –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––|–
A –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
E –|––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––|––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––|–
      G                                  D                               
      1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +    1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

Part 2 of 2:

E –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
B –|––––––––0–––––––––0h1–––0–––––––––|––––––––1–––––––––1h3–––1–––––––––|–
G –|––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
D –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––|––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––|–
A –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
E –|––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––|––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––|–
      G                                  C                               
      1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +    1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

E –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|––––––––––––––––––3–––––––––––––––||
B –|––––––––0––––––––––––––0h1––––––––|––––––––0–––3–––––0–––––––––––––––||
G –|––0–––––––––––––––2–––––––––0–––––|––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––||
D –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––||
A –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––||
E –|––3–––––––3–––––––2–––––––2–––––––|––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––||
      G               D                  G                               
      1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +    1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

Here’s 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 “engine” that must keep chugging along at all times. Only after you’re fully competent at playing this (through the progression, with the chord changes, etc) – should you add the additional notes on the thinnest 3 strings.

E –––––––––––   E –––––––––––   E –––––––––––   
B –––––––––––   B –––––––––––   B –––––––––––   
G –––––––––––   G –––––––––––   G –––––––––––   
D ––––0–––0––   D ––––2–––2––   D ––––0–––0––  <== right thumb
A –––––––––––   A –––––––––––   A –––––––––––   
E ––3–––3––––   E ––3–––3––––   E ––2–––2––––  <== right thumb
    G               C               D

How to play the chords

If you’re 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 –––3––––0––––2–––
B –––0––––1––––3–––
G –––0––––0––––2–––
D –––0––––2––––0–––
A –––2––––3––––––––
E –––3–––––––––––––
     G    C    D

To play fingerstyle, the first two chords you’ll want to learn are the G and C (technically, the C is a “C/G” - but we’ll 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 “transition” you do is putting your left middle & index fingers down for the C, and then lifting them up again for the G.

E ––––––                        E ––––––    
B ––0–––                        B ––1–––  <= Left index finger
G ––0–––                        G ––0–––    
D ––0–––                        D ––2–––  <= Left middle finger
A ––––––                        A ––––––    
E ––3–––  <= Left ring finger   E ––3–––  <= Left ring finger
    G                               C

Next, let’s add this D chord (technically, it’s a D/F# – but again, let’s keep it simple and refer to it as D). This one is trickier, because you’ll 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 ––––––
B ––1–––  <= Left index finger
G ––2–––  <= Left ring finger
D ––0–––
A ––0–––
E ––2–––  <= Left middle finger
    D

Fingerpicking the verse

During the verse, you’ll want to keep up the Travis picking but slightly dial down the flourish. Here’s the tab I like to use. This may not be 100% what John Prine plays, but it’s close enough. Again, the main idea is to keep your right thumb chuggin’ along like an engine, whilst adding occasional notes with your right index and/or middle fingers – just to flesh things out a bit, and make sure things don’t sound too empty & minimal. Feel free to improvise, or otherwise deviate away from these tabs! These are just simple suggested starting points.

E ––––––     ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ––0–––     ––––––––0–––––––––––––––0–––––––––  <= right middle finger
G ––0–––     ––0–––––––––––––––0–––––––––––––––  <= right index finger
D ––0–––     ––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––  <= right thumb    
A ––––––     ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––                       
E ––3–––     ––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––  <= right thumb    
    G          1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

E ––––––     ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ––1–––     ––––––––1–––––––––––––––1–––––––––  <= right middle finger
G ––0–––     ––0–––––––––––––––0–––––––––––––––  <= right index finger
D ––2–––     ––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––  <= right thumb    
A ––––––     ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––                     
E ––3–––     ––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––  <= right thumb    
    C          1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

E ––––––     ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ––1–––     ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G ––2–––     ––2–––––2–––2–––––2–––––2–––2–––––  <= right index finger
D ––0–––     ––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––  <= right thumb    
A ––0–––     ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––                     
E ––2–––     ––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––  <= right thumb    
    D          1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

Strumming pattern

If you want to strum instead of playing fingerstyle, here’s 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 “1” 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, here’s 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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