Born on the Bayou Chords

Etap to play
Dtap to play
Atap to play
Gtap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Capo
None
Chords
E · D · A · G

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s swamp rock anthem about a nostalgic Southern childhood. Beginner difficulty in the key of E.

Driving Rock (4/4 Time)
123456

Tip: Use a steady, percussive strum to capture the song’s gritty feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
E
Now when I was just a little boy
A
Standin’ to my Daddy’s knee
E
My poppa said, “Son, don’t let the man get you
A
Do what he done to me.”
E
He said, “Son, don’t let the man get you
A
Do what he done to me.”
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Verse 2

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Bridge

 
A
Rollin’ with some Cajun Queen
E
Down on the bayou
A E
Runnin’ through the jungle grass
A E B
That’s where I caught a gator
A E
Runnin’ fast, runnin’ fast
A E
Runnin’ fast, runnin’ fast
 

Verse 3

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Outro

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Practice tip: Master the simple E-A-B chord progression before adding the strum pattern, as the entire song is built on it.

Etap to play
Dtap to play
Atap to play
Gtap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Tuning
G-C-E-A
Chords
E · D · A · G

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s swamp rock anthem about a nostalgic Southern childhood. Beginner difficulty in the key of E.

Driving Rock (4/4 Time)
123456

Tip: Use a steady, percussive strum to capture the song’s gritty feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
E
Now when I was just a little boy
A
Standin’ to my Daddy’s knee
E
My poppa said, “Son, don’t let the man get you
A
Do what he done to me.”
E
He said, “Son, don’t let the man get you
A
Do what he done to me.”
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Verse 2

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Bridge

 
A
Rollin’ with some Cajun Queen
E
Down on the bayou
A E
Runnin’ through the jungle grass
A E B
That’s where I caught a gator
A E
Runnin’ fast, runnin’ fast
A E
Runnin’ fast, runnin’ fast
 

Verse 3

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Outro

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Practice tip: Master the simple E-A-B chord progression before adding the strum pattern, as the entire song is built on it.

Etap to play
Dtap to play
Atap to play
Gtap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Left Hand
Root notes
Chords
E · D · A · G

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s swamp rock anthem about a nostalgic Southern childhood. Beginner difficulty in the key of E.

Driving Rock (4/4 Time)
123456

Tip: Use a steady, percussive strum to capture the song’s gritty feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
E
Now when I was just a little boy
A
Standin’ to my Daddy’s knee
E
My poppa said, “Son, don’t let the man get you
A
Do what he done to me.”
E
He said, “Son, don’t let the man get you
A
Do what he done to me.”
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Verse 2

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Bridge

 
A
Rollin’ with some Cajun Queen
E
Down on the bayou
A E
Runnin’ through the jungle grass
A E B
That’s where I caught a gator
A E
Runnin’ fast, runnin’ fast
A E
Runnin’ fast, runnin’ fast
 

Verse 3

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Outro

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Practice tip: Master the simple E-A-B chord progression before adding the strum pattern, as the entire song is built on it.

Etap to play
Dtap to play
Atap to play
Gtap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Tuning
gDGBD (Open G)
Chords
E · D · A · G

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s swamp rock anthem about a nostalgic Southern childhood. Beginner difficulty in the key of E.

Driving Rock (4/4 Time)
123456

Tip: Use a steady, percussive strum to capture the song’s gritty feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
E
Now when I was just a little boy
A
Standin’ to my Daddy’s knee
E
My poppa said, “Son, don’t let the man get you
A
Do what he done to me.”
E
He said, “Son, don’t let the man get you
A
Do what he done to me.”
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Verse 2

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Bridge

 
A
Rollin’ with some Cajun Queen
E
Down on the bayou
A E
Runnin’ through the jungle grass
A E B
That’s where I caught a gator
A E
Runnin’ fast, runnin’ fast
A E
Runnin’ fast, runnin’ fast
 

Verse 3

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Outro

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Practice tip: Master the simple E-A-B chord progression before adding the strum pattern, as the entire song is built on it.

Etap to play
Dtap to play
Atap to play
Gtap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Tuning
G-D-A-E
Chords
E · D · A · G

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s swamp rock anthem about a nostalgic Southern childhood. Beginner difficulty in the key of E.

Driving Rock (4/4 Time)
123456

Tip: Use a steady, percussive strum to capture the song’s gritty feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
E
Now when I was just a little boy
A
Standin’ to my Daddy’s knee
E
My poppa said, “Son, don’t let the man get you
A
Do what he done to me.”
E
He said, “Son, don’t let the man get you
A
Do what he done to me.”
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Verse 2

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Bridge

 
A
Rollin’ with some Cajun Queen
E
Down on the bayou
A E
Runnin’ through the jungle grass
A E B
That’s where I caught a gator
A E
Runnin’ fast, runnin’ fast
A E
Runnin’ fast, runnin’ fast
 

Verse 3

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Outro

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Practice tip: Master the simple E-A-B chord progression before adding the strum pattern, as the entire song is built on it.

Etap to play
Dtap to play
Atap to play
Gtap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Harp Key
C Diatonic
Chords
E · D · A · G

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s swamp rock anthem about a nostalgic Southern childhood. Beginner difficulty in the key of E.

Driving Rock (4/4 Time)
123456

Tip: Use a steady, percussive strum to capture the song’s gritty feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
E
Now when I was just a little boy
A
Standin’ to my Daddy’s knee
E
My poppa said, “Son, don’t let the man get you
A
Do what he done to me.”
E
He said, “Son, don’t let the man get you
A
Do what he done to me.”
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Verse 2

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Bridge

 
A
Rollin’ with some Cajun Queen
E
Down on the bayou
A E
Runnin’ through the jungle grass
A E B
That’s where I caught a gator
A E
Runnin’ fast, runnin’ fast
A E
Runnin’ fast, runnin’ fast
 

Verse 3

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Chorus

 
E A
I can remember the fourth of July
E
Runnin’ through the backwood bare
A
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’
B
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
E A E
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there
 

Outro

 
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Born on the bayou
E
Born on the bayou
A
Wish I was back on the bayou
 

Practice tip: Master the simple E-A-B chord progression before adding the strum pattern, as the entire song is built on it.