Country, Folk

Angel from Montgomery Chords

John Prine Beginner Key of G 4 Chords 3 min read

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Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

G · C · D · Em

Angel from Montgomery Chords – Guitar

John Prine’s heartbreaking classic about unfulfilled dreams. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Play this with a slow, steady strum. Let each chord ring out fully before changing — the spaces between chords are part of the song.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C G

I am an old woman named after my mother

G D

My old man is another child that’s grown old

G C G

If dreams were lightning, thunder was desire

G D G

This old house would have burnt down a long time ago

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Verse 2

G C G

When I was a young girl, well I had me a cowboy

G D

He weren’t much to look at, just a free ramblin’ man

G C G

But that was a long time, and no matter how I try

G D G

The years just flow by like a broken down dam

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Verse 3

G C G

There’s flies in the kitchen, I can hear ’em there buzzin’

G D

And I ain’t done nothing since I woke up today

G C G

How the hell can a person go to work in the morning

G D G

Come home in the evening and have nothing to say

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Practice tip: Bonnie Raitt made this song famous. Try fingerpicking the verses for a more intimate feel, then strum the chorus for dynamics.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

G · C · D · Em

Angel from Montgomery Chords – Ukulele

John Prine’s heartbreaking classic about unfulfilled dreams. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Play this with a slow, steady strum. Let each chord ring out fully before changing — the spaces between chords are part of the song.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C G

I am an old woman named after my mother

G D

My old man is another child that’s grown old

G C G

If dreams were lightning, thunder was desire

G D G

This old house would have burnt down a long time ago

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Verse 2

G C G

When I was a young girl, well I had me a cowboy

G D

He weren’t much to look at, just a free ramblin’ man

G C G

But that was a long time, and no matter how I try

G D G

The years just flow by like a broken down dam

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Verse 3

G C G

There’s flies in the kitchen, I can hear ’em there buzzin’

G D

And I ain’t done nothing since I woke up today

G C G

How the hell can a person go to work in the morning

G D G

Come home in the evening and have nothing to say

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Practice tip: Bonnie Raitt made this song famous. Try fingerpicking the verses for a more intimate feel, then strum the chorus for dynamics.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

G · C · D · Em

Angel from Montgomery Chords – Piano

John Prine’s heartbreaking classic about unfulfilled dreams. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Play this with a slow, steady strum. Let each chord ring out fully before changing — the spaces between chords are part of the song.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C G

I am an old woman named after my mother

G D

My old man is another child that’s grown old

G C G

If dreams were lightning, thunder was desire

G D G

This old house would have burnt down a long time ago

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Verse 2

G C G

When I was a young girl, well I had me a cowboy

G D

He weren’t much to look at, just a free ramblin’ man

G C G

But that was a long time, and no matter how I try

G D G

The years just flow by like a broken down dam

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Verse 3

G C G

There’s flies in the kitchen, I can hear ’em there buzzin’

G D

And I ain’t done nothing since I woke up today

G C G

How the hell can a person go to work in the morning

G D G

Come home in the evening and have nothing to say

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Practice tip: Bonnie Raitt made this song famous. Try fingerpicking the verses for a more intimate feel, then strum the chorus for dynamics.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

G · C · D · Em

Angel from Montgomery Chords – Banjo

John Prine’s heartbreaking classic about unfulfilled dreams. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Play this with a slow, steady strum. Let each chord ring out fully before changing — the spaces between chords are part of the song.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C G

I am an old woman named after my mother

G D

My old man is another child that’s grown old

G C G

If dreams were lightning, thunder was desire

G D G

This old house would have burnt down a long time ago

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Verse 2

G C G

When I was a young girl, well I had me a cowboy

G D

He weren’t much to look at, just a free ramblin’ man

G C G

But that was a long time, and no matter how I try

G D G

The years just flow by like a broken down dam

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Verse 3

G C G

There’s flies in the kitchen, I can hear ’em there buzzin’

G D

And I ain’t done nothing since I woke up today

G C G

How the hell can a person go to work in the morning

G D G

Come home in the evening and have nothing to say

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Practice tip: Bonnie Raitt made this song famous. Try fingerpicking the verses for a more intimate feel, then strum the chorus for dynamics.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

G · C · D · Em

Angel from Montgomery Chords – Mandolin

John Prine’s heartbreaking classic about unfulfilled dreams. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Play this with a slow, steady strum. Let each chord ring out fully before changing — the spaces between chords are part of the song.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C G

I am an old woman named after my mother

G D

My old man is another child that’s grown old

G C G

If dreams were lightning, thunder was desire

G D G

This old house would have burnt down a long time ago

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Verse 2

G C G

When I was a young girl, well I had me a cowboy

G D

He weren’t much to look at, just a free ramblin’ man

G C G

But that was a long time, and no matter how I try

G D G

The years just flow by like a broken down dam

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Verse 3

G C G

There’s flies in the kitchen, I can hear ’em there buzzin’

G D

And I ain’t done nothing since I woke up today

G C G

How the hell can a person go to work in the morning

G D G

Come home in the evening and have nothing to say

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Practice tip: Bonnie Raitt made this song famous. Try fingerpicking the verses for a more intimate feel, then strum the chorus for dynamics.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

G · C · D · Em

Angel from Montgomery Chords – Harmonica

John Prine’s heartbreaking classic about unfulfilled dreams. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Play this with a slow, steady strum. Let each chord ring out fully before changing — the spaces between chords are part of the song.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C G

I am an old woman named after my mother

G D

My old man is another child that’s grown old

G C G

If dreams were lightning, thunder was desire

G D G

This old house would have burnt down a long time ago

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Verse 2

G C G

When I was a young girl, well I had me a cowboy

G D

He weren’t much to look at, just a free ramblin’ man

G C G

But that was a long time, and no matter how I try

G D G

The years just flow by like a broken down dam

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Verse 3

G C G

There’s flies in the kitchen, I can hear ’em there buzzin’

G D

And I ain’t done nothing since I woke up today

G C G

How the hell can a person go to work in the morning

G D G

Come home in the evening and have nothing to say

Chorus

C G Em

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

C G D

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

C G Em

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

C G D G

To believe in this livin’ is just a hard way to go

Practice tip: Bonnie Raitt made this song famous. Try fingerpicking the verses for a more intimate feel, then strum the chorus for dynamics.