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Old Country Music Songs
On The Acoustic
Welcome to my old country music songs page where you'll find info and lessons covering many artists including Marty Robbins, Ricks Skaggs, Johnny Horton, Bobby Bare and many others.
Help yourself to the free pdf chord sheets, view some full demos and sample demos. If you require full tutorial lessons for these songs below, there is a purchase link for a small fee.
Deeper discounts available from the side menu.
Jump links to quickly access the songs sections.
Old Country Music Songs
Chords, Lyrics, Demos, Tutorials
1. 7th Son
Seventh Son was a single release for Johnny Rivers back in 1965 and the song peaked at #7 on the US charts.
The track can be found on his album Meanwhile Back At The Whiskey A Go Go.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: E, A7, B7
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2. 20th Century Drifter
20th Century Drifter hails from the 2014 album of the same name.
The song was never released as a single.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret is original key
- Rhythm: root down up down up down up root down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: D, Bm, Em, A7, E7, Gb, G
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3. 500 Miles Away From Home
500 Miles Away From Home was recorded by Bobby Bare in 1963 and became a top 10 on Billboard and a #5 on the country charts.
The track can be found on his album 500 Miles Away From Home.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: G, Em, Am, D, D7, Bm, A7
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4. All I Ever Need Is You
All I Ever Need Is You was recorded by Jerry Reed with Chet Atkins as part of a duet album entitled Me And Chet back in 1972.
This version was never released as a single.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: - C, E7, Am, C7, F, D7, G, Em
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5. Amos Moses
Amos Moses was a single released back in 1970 by Jerry Reed from his album "Georgia Sunshine".
the song ranked at #8 in the US and #2 in Canada.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: down down down up down up with a few riffs
- Picking: a few riffs
- Chords: G, A7, C7, D7, A#, F, Fsus2(maj)
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6. Behind Closed Doors
Behind Closed Doors hails from Charlie's 1973 album of the same name.
This song topped the country charts in both Canada and The US the same year.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up
- Picking: Yes a few riffs
- Chords: C, F, G, Dm, Em
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7. Big Iron
Big Iron was a 1960 release from Marty Robbins from his album Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs.
The song peaked at #5 in the US.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: Dbm, Ab7, E, A, E6
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8. Desperado Love
Desperado Love was a 1986 single release from the album Fallin For You For Years.
The song peaked at #1 in the US on the Billboard chart and was the 1st single from this album.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: G, C, D, D7, F
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9. Detroit City
Detroit City was co-written by Mel Tillis and Danny Dill and became a big hit for Bobby Bare back in 1963 when his version hit #1 in Norway, Sweden and #4 in the US.
The track can be found on the album Detroit City And Other Hits.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking:
- Chords: E, A, B7, E7, Gb
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10. Devil Woman
Devil Woman hails from the 1962 album of the same name.
Marty Robbins scored a #1 in the US and a top 5 in the UK and Australia with this song.
- Drop D Tuning: Yes
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: D, A7, G
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11. Don't Cheat In Our Hometown
Don't Cheat In Our Hometown was a #1 hit in both Canada and the US back in 1983.
The track can be found on the album of the same name.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 1st fret = original key
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: E, A, B7
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12. Don't Take It Away
Don't Take It Away hails from the 1979 album Cross Winds.
This song was one of three singles and this one topped the country charts in Canada and the US.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: D, G6, A, A7, C, D/Gb, Em
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13. Easy Loving
Easy Loving was a breakthrough #1 hit for Freddie Hart whose music career in country was a bit under-whelming. That's to an Atlanta DJ who played this song alot, in Sept 1971 Hart had his first #1.
The song can be found on his "California Grapevine" album.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: G, G7, C, A7, D, D7
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14. Have You Even Been Lonely
Have You Ever Been Lonely was written way back in 1932 and has been recorded by many artists through the years.
Both Patsy Cline and Jim Reeves recorded their own version in 1961 but the duo never recorded together. Cline died in a plane crash in 1963 and Reeves did also the following year.
But an electronic duet was created in 1981 by Owen Bradley, Clines original producer and combined the two voices against a newly created backing track. The song peaked at #5 on Billboard in 1982.
You'll find this on the "Jim Reeves Greatest Hits" album released in 1981.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No for the original key but on the 2nd here
- Rhythm = root down up root up down up
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = D, Am7, G, C, G7, A7, B7, E7, Edim
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15. He'll Have To Go
He'll Have To Go was a #1 country hit for Jim Reeves in the US. It was released in the fall of 1959 and topped the charts in 1960.
It can be found on the album of the same name.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = root up down up down up and repeat
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = C, G, F, C7, G7, Fm
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16. I Love You Because
l Love You Because did not chart in the US or Canada when it was released in 1964 but reached #1 in both Norway and Ireland and hit #6 in the UK. Leon Payne wrote the song and first released his version back in 1949.
Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash both covered this song.
This track is on the album "Gentleman Jim".
- Drop D Tuning = Yes
- Capo = 3rd fret
- Rhythm = root up down up bass up down up
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = D, D7, G, A7, E, E7
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17. I Love'em Everyone
I Love'em Everyone ... info soon
- Drop D Tuning:
- Capo:
- Rhythm:
- Picking:
- Chords:
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18. I'll See You In My Dreams
I'll See You In My Dreams .. info soon
- Drop D Tuning:
- Capo:
- Rhythm:
- Picking:
- Chords:
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19. I've Cried My Last Tear For You
I've Cried My Last Tear For You ... info soon
- Drop D Tuning:
- Capo:
- Rhythm:
- Picking:
- Chords:
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20. Me And Bobby McGee
Me And Bobby McGee ... info soon
- Drop D Tuning:
- Capo:
- Rhythm:
- Picking:
- Chords:
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21. Moonlight And Roses
Moonlight And Roses was never released as a single but the track can be found on the album of the same name which was released in 1964.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 1st is original key
- Rhythm = root down root up down up and repeat
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = C, G7, F, Adim, Dm7, D/G#, A7, D7
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22. One Woman Man
One Woman Man .. info soon
- Drop D Tuning: Yes
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: down up down up with walking bass
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: G, C, D
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23. Secret Agent Man
Secret Agent Man was a 1966 single release from Johnny Rivers off of his album "And I Know You Wanna Dance".
The song peaked at #3 in the US and #4 in Canada.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down up stop up down up stop up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: Em, Am, B7, C7, Bm
Chords & Lyrics
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24. Singing The Blues
Singing The Blues was an early hit for Marty when it was released in 1956 from his Marty's Greatest Hits album.
This song reached 31 in the US.
- Drop D Tuning: Yes
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: A7, D, G, Ab, A, D7
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25. Sink The Bismark
Sink The Bismark ... info soon
- Drop D Tuning:
- Capo:
- Rhythm:
- Picking:
- Chords:
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26. Sixteen Tons
Sixteen Tons became a #1 hit in the US in 1955. The song was written by Merle Travis and released by Travis in 1947. But Tennessee Ernie Fords version in 1955 has become the best known version.
The track is from his album Ford Favourites.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret = original key
- Rhythm: root down root up down up
- Picking: No
- Chords: Am, E, F, G, E7, Dm
Chords & Lyrics
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27. Small Town Saturday Night
Small Town Saturday Night ... info soon
- Drop D Tuning:
- Capo:
- Rhythm:
- Picking:
- Chords:
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28. Stand By Me
Stand By Me made many millions of dollars in royalties alone for the writers Ben E King, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.
Ben E King had this song on the charts twice. Once in 1961 when it reached #1 and again in the 1980's when it reached #9. John Lennon covered the song in 1975 and Mickey Gilley did his version in 1980.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 2nd fret
- Rhythm = a root down up down up root up down up and repeat. A few instances near the end of the verse where you transition into the chorus you can chop it with some downstrokes on the Dsus, G and A7 chords as you'll see in the demo portion
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = D, Bm, G, A7 (or A), Dsus (optional)
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29. Sugar Moon
Sugar Moon was written by Cindy Walker and Bob Wills. He recorded the song with his band The Texas Playboys back in 1947 where it peaked at #1.
Asleep At The Wheel and Willie Nelson also have cover versions out there.
You'll find this track on a double CD called Bob Wills And His Texas Playboys Collection (or Anthology) 1935-1973 2xCDS.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: C, D7, G7, C7, F
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30. The Most Beautiful Girl
The Most Beautiful Girl is a track from the 1972 album Behind Closed Doors. That song was a #1 in the US and Canada.
This song was that and more, reaching #2 in the Uk and #3 in The Netherlands.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up
- Picking: a few riffs
- Chords: G, C, Dm, G7, E, A7, D, Cm, Gm, Gm/Gb, Gm/F, Gm/E, D7
Chords & Lyrics
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31. Two More Bottles Of Wine
Two More Bottles Of Wine ... info soon
- Drop D Tuning:
- Capo:
- Rhythm:
- Picking:
- Chords:
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32. Welcome To My World
Welcome To My World was a #2 hit in the US and a #1 in Ireland. It also peaked at #6 in the UK and #3 in Norway in 1964.
It can be found on his album "A Touch Of Velvet" from 1962.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 3rd fret
- Rhythm = root up down up and repeat
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = C, F, G, D7
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33. Whatever Happened To Old Fashioned Love
Whatever Happened To Old Fashioned Love ... info soon
- Drop D Tuning:
- Capo:
- Rhythm:
- Picking:
- Chords:
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34. More Country ...
Chords & Lyrics
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Thanks for stopping by this old country music songs page and I hope the info here was helpful.
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