Dolly Parton’s timeless ballad about letting go of the person you love most. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.
Country Ballad (4/4 Time)
↓↑↓↑↓↑
123456
Tip: Play with deep tenderness. This is one of the most emotional songs ever written — let each chord change breathe and give space for the vocals to carry the emotion.
Lyrics & Chords
Full Song
Verse 1
C
If I should stay
AmF
I would only be in your way
G
So I’ll go, but I know
CG
I’ll think of you every step of the way
Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCG
I will always love you
Verse 2
C
Bittersweet memories
AmF
That is all I’m taking with me
G
So goodbye, please don’t cry
CG
We both know I’m not what you need
Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCG
I will always love you
Verse 3
C
I hope life treats you kind
Am
And I hope you have all you dreamed of
FG
And I wish you joy and happiness
CG
But above all this, I wish you love
Final Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCAm
I will always love you
FGAm
I will always love you
FGC
I will always love you
FGC
I will always love you
FC
I, I will always love you
Practice tip: Simple chords (C, Am, F, G) with a slow, deliberate pace. The beauty is in the simplicity. Practice the F chord transition — it’s the only tricky part. Try Fmaj7 if needed.
Atap to play
Dtap to play
Etap to play
F#mtap to play
Key
A Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Tuning
G-C-E-A
Chords
A · D · E · F#m
Dolly Parton’s timeless ballad about letting go of the person you love most. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.
Country Ballad (4/4 Time)
↓↑↓↑↓↑
123456
Tip: Play with deep tenderness. This is one of the most emotional songs ever written — let each chord change breathe and give space for the vocals to carry the emotion.
Lyrics & Chords
Full Song
Verse 1
C
If I should stay
AmF
I would only be in your way
G
So I’ll go, but I know
CG
I’ll think of you every step of the way
Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCG
I will always love you
Verse 2
C
Bittersweet memories
AmF
That is all I’m taking with me
G
So goodbye, please don’t cry
CG
We both know I’m not what you need
Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCG
I will always love you
Verse 3
C
I hope life treats you kind
Am
And I hope you have all you dreamed of
FG
And I wish you joy and happiness
CG
But above all this, I wish you love
Final Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCAm
I will always love you
FGAm
I will always love you
FGC
I will always love you
FGC
I will always love you
FC
I, I will always love you
Practice tip: Simple chords (C, Am, F, G) with a slow, deliberate pace. The beauty is in the simplicity. Practice the F chord transition — it’s the only tricky part. Try Fmaj7 if needed.
Atap to play
Dtap to play
Etap to play
F#mtap to play
Key
A Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Left Hand
Root notes
Chords
A · D · E · F#m
Dolly Parton’s timeless ballad about letting go of the person you love most. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.
Country Ballad (4/4 Time)
↓↑↓↑↓↑
123456
Tip: Play with deep tenderness. This is one of the most emotional songs ever written — let each chord change breathe and give space for the vocals to carry the emotion.
Lyrics & Chords
Full Song
Verse 1
C
If I should stay
AmF
I would only be in your way
G
So I’ll go, but I know
CG
I’ll think of you every step of the way
Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCG
I will always love you
Verse 2
C
Bittersweet memories
AmF
That is all I’m taking with me
G
So goodbye, please don’t cry
CG
We both know I’m not what you need
Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCG
I will always love you
Verse 3
C
I hope life treats you kind
Am
And I hope you have all you dreamed of
FG
And I wish you joy and happiness
CG
But above all this, I wish you love
Final Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCAm
I will always love you
FGAm
I will always love you
FGC
I will always love you
FGC
I will always love you
FC
I, I will always love you
Practice tip: Simple chords (C, Am, F, G) with a slow, deliberate pace. The beauty is in the simplicity. Practice the F chord transition — it’s the only tricky part. Try Fmaj7 if needed.
Atap to play
Dtap to play
Etap to play
F#mtap to play
Key
A Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Tuning
gDGBD (Open G)
Chords
A · D · E · F#m
Dolly Parton’s timeless ballad about letting go of the person you love most. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.
Country Ballad (4/4 Time)
↓↑↓↑↓↑
123456
Tip: Play with deep tenderness. This is one of the most emotional songs ever written — let each chord change breathe and give space for the vocals to carry the emotion.
Lyrics & Chords
Full Song
Verse 1
C
If I should stay
AmF
I would only be in your way
G
So I’ll go, but I know
CG
I’ll think of you every step of the way
Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCG
I will always love you
Verse 2
C
Bittersweet memories
AmF
That is all I’m taking with me
G
So goodbye, please don’t cry
CG
We both know I’m not what you need
Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCG
I will always love you
Verse 3
C
I hope life treats you kind
Am
And I hope you have all you dreamed of
FG
And I wish you joy and happiness
CG
But above all this, I wish you love
Final Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCAm
I will always love you
FGAm
I will always love you
FGC
I will always love you
FGC
I will always love you
FC
I, I will always love you
Practice tip: Simple chords (C, Am, F, G) with a slow, deliberate pace. The beauty is in the simplicity. Practice the F chord transition — it’s the only tricky part. Try Fmaj7 if needed.
Atap to play
Dtap to play
Etap to play
F#mtap to play
Key
A Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Tuning
G-D-A-E
Chords
A · D · E · F#m
Dolly Parton’s timeless ballad about letting go of the person you love most. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.
Country Ballad (4/4 Time)
↓↑↓↑↓↑
123456
Tip: Play with deep tenderness. This is one of the most emotional songs ever written — let each chord change breathe and give space for the vocals to carry the emotion.
Lyrics & Chords
Full Song
Verse 1
C
If I should stay
AmF
I would only be in your way
G
So I’ll go, but I know
CG
I’ll think of you every step of the way
Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCG
I will always love you
Verse 2
C
Bittersweet memories
AmF
That is all I’m taking with me
G
So goodbye, please don’t cry
CG
We both know I’m not what you need
Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCG
I will always love you
Verse 3
C
I hope life treats you kind
Am
And I hope you have all you dreamed of
FG
And I wish you joy and happiness
CG
But above all this, I wish you love
Final Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCAm
I will always love you
FGAm
I will always love you
FGC
I will always love you
FGC
I will always love you
FC
I, I will always love you
Practice tip: Simple chords (C, Am, F, G) with a slow, deliberate pace. The beauty is in the simplicity. Practice the F chord transition — it’s the only tricky part. Try Fmaj7 if needed.
Atap to play
Dtap to play
Etap to play
F#mtap to play
Key
A Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Harp Key
C Diatonic
Chords
A · D · E · F#m
Dolly Parton’s timeless ballad about letting go of the person you love most. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.
Country Ballad (4/4 Time)
↓↑↓↑↓↑
123456
Tip: Play with deep tenderness. This is one of the most emotional songs ever written — let each chord change breathe and give space for the vocals to carry the emotion.
Lyrics & Chords
Full Song
Verse 1
C
If I should stay
AmF
I would only be in your way
G
So I’ll go, but I know
CG
I’ll think of you every step of the way
Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCG
I will always love you
Verse 2
C
Bittersweet memories
AmF
That is all I’m taking with me
G
So goodbye, please don’t cry
CG
We both know I’m not what you need
Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCG
I will always love you
Verse 3
C
I hope life treats you kind
Am
And I hope you have all you dreamed of
FG
And I wish you joy and happiness
CG
But above all this, I wish you love
Final Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCAm
I will always love you
FGAm
I will always love you
FGC
I will always love you
FGC
I will always love you
FC
I, I will always love you
Practice tip: Simple chords (C, Am, F, G) with a slow, deliberate pace. The beauty is in the simplicity. Practice the F chord transition — it’s the only tricky part. Try Fmaj7 if needed.
Atap to play
Dtap to play
Etap to play
F#mtap to play
Key
A Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Range
Varies by singer
Chords
A · D · E · F#m
Dolly Parton’s timeless ballad about letting go of the person you love most. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.
Country Ballad (4/4 Time)
↓↑↓↑↓↑
123456
Tip: Play with deep tenderness. This is one of the most emotional songs ever written — let each chord change breathe and give space for the vocals to carry the emotion.
Lyrics & Chords
Full Song
Verse 1
C
If I should stay
AmF
I would only be in your way
G
So I’ll go, but I know
CG
I’ll think of you every step of the way
Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCG
I will always love you
Verse 2
C
Bittersweet memories
AmF
That is all I’m taking with me
G
So goodbye, please don’t cry
CG
We both know I’m not what you need
Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCG
I will always love you
Verse 3
C
I hope life treats you kind
Am
And I hope you have all you dreamed of
FG
And I wish you joy and happiness
CG
But above all this, I wish you love
Final Chorus
CAm
And I will always love you
FGCAm
I will always love you
FGAm
I will always love you
FGC
I will always love you
FGC
I will always love you
FC
I, I will always love you
Practice tip: Simple chords (C, Am, F, G) with a slow, deliberate pace. The beauty is in the simplicity. Practice the F chord transition — it’s the only tricky part. Try Fmaj7 if needed.