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Editorβs notes
In this lesson, I show you how to play the song βPancho and Leftyβ as performed by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. This song was originally written by Townes Van Zandt and released in 1972. Van Zandtβs version is a bit different: he plays in a different key, uses a distinct fingerpicking style instead of strumming, and doesnβt play the recognizable intro heard in the Willie & Merle version. Here, Iβll show you how to the chords needed, explain the strumming pattern, break down the chord progressions for the verse & chorus, and walk you through the intro riff β with tabs included.
Video timestamps:
- 0:00 Playthrough
- 1:25 Chords Needed
- 1:43 Strumming Pattern
- 2:27 Verse
- 3:00 Chorus
- 5:09 Intro Riff
Lyrics w/ chords
INTRO RIFF:
E ββ10ββββ9βββ7βββ9βββ7βββ5β5βββββββ5βββββ3βββ2βββ3βββ2βββ0β2ββββββββ
B ββ10ββββ10ββ8βββ10ββ8βββ5β7βββββββ7βββββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3β3ββββββββ
G ββ11ββββ9βββ7βββ9βββ7βββ7β7βββββββ7βββββ4βββ2βββ4βββ2βββ2β2ββββββββ
D ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D A
...Living on the road my friend... was gonna keep you free and clean
G D A
...And now you wear your skin like iron... and your breath as hard as kerosene
G D G
...You weren't your mama's only boy, but her favorite one it seemed
Bm G D A G Bm
...She began to cry when you said---- goodbye... and sank into your dreams
D A
...Pancho was a bandit boys... his horse was fast as polished steel
G D A
...He wore his gun outside his pants... for all the honest world to feel
G D G
...Pancho met his match you know, on the deserts down in Mexico
Bm G D A G Bm
...Nobody heard his dying words.... oh, but that's the way it goes
G D G
...All the Federales say... they could have had him any day
Bm G D A G Bm
...They only let him slip a--way, out of kindness I suppose
D A
...Lefty, he can't sing the blues... all night long like he used to
G D A
...The dust that Pancho bit down south... ended up in Lefty's mouth
G D G
...The day they laid poor Pancho low... Lefty split for Ohio
Bm G D A G Bm
...Where he got the bread to go..... there ain't nobody knows
G D G
...All the Federales say... they could have had him any day
Bm G D A G Bm
...We only let him slip a--way, out of kindness I suppose
(solo over chorus chords...)
D A
...The poets tell how Pancho fell... and Lefty's living in cheap hotels
G D A
...The desert's quiet, Cleveland's cold... and so the story ends we're told
G D G
...Pancho needs your prayers, it's true... but save a few for Lefty too
Bm G D A G Bm
...He only did what he had to do...... and now he's growing old
G D G
...All the Federales say... they could have had him any day
Bm G D A G Bm
...They only let him slip a--way, out of kindness I suppose
G D G
...A few grey Federales say... they could have had him any day
Bm G D A G Bm
...They only let him slip a--way, out of kindness I suppose
Editorβs notes
Another song I very recently fell deeply in love with for the first time. I first came across the Willie & Merle version (which I enjoyed), and then discovered Townes Van Zandt (who wrote this song) β who I embarrassingly didnβt even know existed. I began devouring his music, and this song in particular. Aside from his finger style work, I wouldnβt describe his guitar arrangements as flashy or readily distinct as Willieβs β which really allows for his lyrics to shine through in an unreal way. It was hearing his version of the song that really let the raw emotion and sentiment creep in. I couldnβt get enough, and of course being in love with Willieβs guitar style right now β went to him and Merleβs version so I could finally learn that very cool intro riff. One day Iβll learn the solo, and do a lesson for it! But it will probably be a bit down the road. In the meantime, enjoy.
Intro riff
How Merle actually plays it
Not only is this the way Merle plays it, but itβs also how I recommend learning it. This isnβt trivially easy to play, but itβs easier than the version further below AND it provides a consistent sound when played, which is a good thing. The great part about this approach is youβre 100% on the highest 3 strings. True, you can let the D string ring on some / any / all of these chords (and it sounds great!) β but because that D string is always left open (not fretted), it doesnβt require any addβl left hand work to do this.
E ββ10ββββ9βββ7βββ9βββ7βββ5β5βββββββ5βββββ3βββ2βββ3βββ2βββ0β2ββββββββ
B ββ10ββββ10ββ8βββ10ββ8βββ5β7βββββββ7βββββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3β3ββββββββ
G ββ11ββββ9βββ7βββ9βββ7βββ7β7βββββββ7βββββ4βββ2βββ4βββ2βββ2β2ββββββββ
D ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
First way I learned it
At first, I was convinced this was it β and for sure, if you wanted to you could play it this way and be 100% fine. The downside of this version is about practicality β in that, youβre on the highest 3 strings for the first half, and then the 4th / 3rd / 2nd strings for the second half. One reason this is bad has to do with picking accuracy ββ itβs quite a bit harder to cleanly strum the 2nd/3rd/4th strings (only) in a way that matches the sound of the 1st half, where youβre on the highest 3 strings. If youβre curious, feel free to practice it this way! I enjoyed getting this under my belt. But again, after doing some digging and watching a video of Merle Haggard playing it ββΒ Iβm won over by the practicality of his version.
E ββ10ββββ9βββ7βββ9βββ7ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββ10ββββ10ββ8βββ10ββ8βββ8β10ββββββ10ββββ8βββ7βββ8βββ7βββ5β7ββββββββ
G ββ11ββββ9βββ7βββ9βββ7βββ7β11ββββββ11ββββ7βββ7βββ7βββ7βββ6β7ββββββββ
D ββββββββββββββββββββββββ9β12ββββββ12ββββ9βββ7βββ9βββ7βββ7β7ββββββββ
A βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Chords needed
E ββββ2βββ3βββ0βββ2ββββ
B ββββ3βββ0βββ2βββ3ββββ
G ββββ2βββ0βββ2βββ4ββββ
D ββββ0βββ0βββ2βββ4ββββ
A ββββββββ2βββ0βββ2ββββ
E ββββββββ3ββββββββββββ
D G A Bm
Chord progression cheat sheet
Verse:
| D . . . | D . . . | A . . . | A . . . |
| G . . . | G . . . | D . . . | A . . . |
Chorus:
| G . . . | G . . . | D . . . | G . . . |
| Bm . . . | G D A . . . | A . . . |
| G . . . | Bm . . . | Bm . . . |
Solo
Coming, one day, eventually :)
Good luck!
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