Emmylou Harris - Pancho and Lefty Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow. Using the Transpose tool, switch to A,G,D keys to play this song with easier chords.
Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar Am chord diagram
[Opening]
[C]Living’ on the road my friend, [G]was gonna keep you free and clean
[F]Now you wear your skin like iron, your [C]breath’s as hard as [G]kerosene
[F]You weren’t your mamma’s only boy, but her [C]favourite one it [F]seems
[Am]Began to cry when you [F]said goodbye [C], [G]
And [F]sank into your [Am]dreams[C]
[verse 2]
[C]Pancho was a bandit boys, [G]his horse was fast as polished steel
[F]He wore his gun outside his pants, for [C]all the honest [G]world to feel
[F]Pancho met his match you know, in the [C]desert down in [F]Mexico
And [Am]no one heard his [F]dying [C]words, [G]
But [F]that’s the way it [Am]goes[F]
[chorus]
[F]All the Federales say, we [C]could have had him [F]any day
[Am]We only let him [F]slip a[G]way, [G], out of [F]kindness I sup[Am]pose[C]
[verse 3]
[C]Lefty he can’t sing the blues, [G]all night long like he used to
[F]The dust that Pancho bit down south, [C]ended up in [G]Lefty’s mouth
[F]The day they laid poor Pancho low, [C]Lefty split for [F]Ohio
[Am]Where he got the [F]bread to [C]go, [G]
There [F]ain’t nobody [Am]knows[F]
[chorus]
[F]All the Federales say, we [C]could have had him [F]any day
[Am]We only let him [F]slip a[C]way, [G], out of [F]kindness I sup[Am]pose[C]
[verse 4]
[C]The poets tell how Pancho fell, [G]Lefty’s living in a cheap hotel
[F]The desert’s quiet and Cleveland’s cold, and [C]so the story [G]ends, we’re told
[F]Pancho needs your prayers it’s true, but [C]save a few for [F]Lefty too
[Am]He only did what he [F]had to [C]do, [G]
And [F]now he’s growing [Am]old[F]
[Closing]
[F]All the Federales say, we [C]could have had him [F]any day
[Am]We only let him [F]slip a[G]way, [G], out of [F]kindness I sup[Am]pose[C]
[F]A few grey Federales say, [C]could have had him [F]any day
[Am]We only let him [F]go [C]so [G]long, [G]out of [F]kindness I sup[Am]pose
How to play Pancho and Lefty on Guitar (Step-by-step)
Emmylou Harris - Pancho and Lefty on guitar requires 4 chords and 5 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↓-↓↑-↓↑↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.
Pancho and Lefty uses these transitions most often: F → C (18), F → Am (16), and G → F (16). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with C - G chord transition.
1. C → G chord transition
To move from C to G;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
2. G → F chord transition
To move from G to F;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to G string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
- Place pinky on D string fret 3.
3. F → C chord transition
To move from F to C;
- While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
- Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
4. F → Am chord transition
To move from F to Am;
- While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
5. Am → C chord transition
To move from Am to C;
- Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
Pancho and Lefty chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Pancho and Lefty.
- Pancho and Lefty includes 90 chord transitions, 5 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- Pancho and Lefty contains 4 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how Pancho and Lefty connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After F, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (40%), G (21%), and Am (11%).
- F → C: 40%
- F → G: 21%
After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).- C → G: 35%
- C → F: 16%