Country, Rock

Copperhead Road Chords

Steve Earle Beginner Key of D 3 Chords 3 min read Updated Jul 2026

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

Atap to play

Key

D

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

D · G · A

Copperhead Road Chords – Guitar

Steve Earle’s hard-driving country-rock anthem about moonshining in the Appalachian mountains. Intermediate difficulty in the key of D.

Hard Country Rock (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use an open D tuning or standard tuning with heavy downstrokes. This song has a relentless, driving energy — channel that Appalachian grit.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D

Well, my name’s John Lee Pettimore

D

Same as my daddy and his daddy before

D

You hardly ever saw Granddaddy down here

D

He only come to town about twice a year

G

He’d buy a hundred pounds of yeast and some copper line

A

Everybody knew that he made moonshine

Verse 2

D

Now the revenue man wanted Granddaddy bad

D

He headed up the holler with everything he had

D

It’s before my time but I’ve been told

D

He never come back from Copperhead Road

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Verse 3

D

Now Daddy ran the whiskey in a big block Dodge

D

Bought it at an auction at the Mason’s Lodge

D

”Johnson County Sheriff” painted on the side

D

Just shot a coat of primer then he looked inside

G

Well, him and his buddy with a case of dynamite

A

He blew that road right up that night

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Verse 4

D

Well I volunteered for the Army on my birthday

D

They draft the white trash first, ’round here anyway

D

I done two tours of duty in Vietnam

D

And I come home with a brand new plan

G

I take the seed from Colombia and Mexico

A

I plant it up the holler down Copperhead Road

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Outro

D

Now the D.E.A.’s got a chopper in the air

D

I wake up screaming like I’m back over there

G

I learned a thing or two from Charlie, don’t you know

A

You better stay away from Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

Practice tip: The verses are mostly D with the G-A turnaround at the end. The distinctive guitar riff uses an open D string drone. Practice the D to G to A transition to capture the song’s explosive energy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Copperhead Road"?

You need 3 beginner-friendly chords: D, G and A.

Is "Copperhead Road" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 3 chords in the key of D, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Copperhead Road" in?

It is in the key of D.

Who wrote "Copperhead Road"?

It was written by Steve Earle, and released in 1988.

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

Atap to play

Key

D

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

D · G · A

Copperhead Road Chords – Ukulele

Steve Earle’s hard-driving country-rock anthem about moonshining in the Appalachian mountains. Intermediate difficulty in the key of D.

Hard Country Rock (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use an open D tuning or standard tuning with heavy downstrokes. This song has a relentless, driving energy — channel that Appalachian grit.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D

Well, my name’s John Lee Pettimore

D

Same as my daddy and his daddy before

D

You hardly ever saw Granddaddy down here

D

He only come to town about twice a year

G

He’d buy a hundred pounds of yeast and some copper line

A

Everybody knew that he made moonshine

Verse 2

D

Now the revenue man wanted Granddaddy bad

D

He headed up the holler with everything he had

D

It’s before my time but I’ve been told

D

He never come back from Copperhead Road

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Verse 3

D

Now Daddy ran the whiskey in a big block Dodge

D

Bought it at an auction at the Mason’s Lodge

D

”Johnson County Sheriff” painted on the side

D

Just shot a coat of primer then he looked inside

G

Well, him and his buddy with a case of dynamite

A

He blew that road right up that night

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Verse 4

D

Well I volunteered for the Army on my birthday

D

They draft the white trash first, ’round here anyway

D

I done two tours of duty in Vietnam

D

And I come home with a brand new plan

G

I take the seed from Colombia and Mexico

A

I plant it up the holler down Copperhead Road

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Outro

D

Now the D.E.A.’s got a chopper in the air

D

I wake up screaming like I’m back over there

G

I learned a thing or two from Charlie, don’t you know

A

You better stay away from Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

Practice tip: The verses are mostly D with the G-A turnaround at the end. The distinctive guitar riff uses an open D string drone. Practice the D to G to A transition to capture the song’s explosive energy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Copperhead Road"?

You need 3 beginner-friendly chords: D, G and A.

Is "Copperhead Road" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 3 chords in the key of D, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Copperhead Road" in?

It is in the key of D.

Who wrote "Copperhead Road"?

It was written by Steve Earle, and released in 1988.

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

Atap to play

Key

D

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

D · G · A

Copperhead Road Chords – Piano

Steve Earle’s hard-driving country-rock anthem about moonshining in the Appalachian mountains. Intermediate difficulty in the key of D.

Hard Country Rock (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use an open D tuning or standard tuning with heavy downstrokes. This song has a relentless, driving energy — channel that Appalachian grit.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D

Well, my name’s John Lee Pettimore

D

Same as my daddy and his daddy before

D

You hardly ever saw Granddaddy down here

D

He only come to town about twice a year

G

He’d buy a hundred pounds of yeast and some copper line

A

Everybody knew that he made moonshine

Verse 2

D

Now the revenue man wanted Granddaddy bad

D

He headed up the holler with everything he had

D

It’s before my time but I’ve been told

D

He never come back from Copperhead Road

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Verse 3

D

Now Daddy ran the whiskey in a big block Dodge

D

Bought it at an auction at the Mason’s Lodge

D

”Johnson County Sheriff” painted on the side

D

Just shot a coat of primer then he looked inside

G

Well, him and his buddy with a case of dynamite

A

He blew that road right up that night

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Verse 4

D

Well I volunteered for the Army on my birthday

D

They draft the white trash first, ’round here anyway

D

I done two tours of duty in Vietnam

D

And I come home with a brand new plan

G

I take the seed from Colombia and Mexico

A

I plant it up the holler down Copperhead Road

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Outro

D

Now the D.E.A.’s got a chopper in the air

D

I wake up screaming like I’m back over there

G

I learned a thing or two from Charlie, don’t you know

A

You better stay away from Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

Practice tip: The verses are mostly D with the G-A turnaround at the end. The distinctive guitar riff uses an open D string drone. Practice the D to G to A transition to capture the song’s explosive energy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Copperhead Road"?

You need 3 beginner-friendly chords: D, G and A.

Is "Copperhead Road" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 3 chords in the key of D, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Copperhead Road" in?

It is in the key of D.

Who wrote "Copperhead Road"?

It was written by Steve Earle, and released in 1988.

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

Atap to play

Key

D

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

D · G · A

Copperhead Road Chords – Banjo

Steve Earle’s hard-driving country-rock anthem about moonshining in the Appalachian mountains. Intermediate difficulty in the key of D.

Hard Country Rock (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use an open D tuning or standard tuning with heavy downstrokes. This song has a relentless, driving energy — channel that Appalachian grit.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D

Well, my name’s John Lee Pettimore

D

Same as my daddy and his daddy before

D

You hardly ever saw Granddaddy down here

D

He only come to town about twice a year

G

He’d buy a hundred pounds of yeast and some copper line

A

Everybody knew that he made moonshine

Verse 2

D

Now the revenue man wanted Granddaddy bad

D

He headed up the holler with everything he had

D

It’s before my time but I’ve been told

D

He never come back from Copperhead Road

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Verse 3

D

Now Daddy ran the whiskey in a big block Dodge

D

Bought it at an auction at the Mason’s Lodge

D

”Johnson County Sheriff” painted on the side

D

Just shot a coat of primer then he looked inside

G

Well, him and his buddy with a case of dynamite

A

He blew that road right up that night

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Verse 4

D

Well I volunteered for the Army on my birthday

D

They draft the white trash first, ’round here anyway

D

I done two tours of duty in Vietnam

D

And I come home with a brand new plan

G

I take the seed from Colombia and Mexico

A

I plant it up the holler down Copperhead Road

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Outro

D

Now the D.E.A.’s got a chopper in the air

D

I wake up screaming like I’m back over there

G

I learned a thing or two from Charlie, don’t you know

A

You better stay away from Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

Practice tip: The verses are mostly D with the G-A turnaround at the end. The distinctive guitar riff uses an open D string drone. Practice the D to G to A transition to capture the song’s explosive energy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Copperhead Road"?

You need 3 beginner-friendly chords: D, G and A.

Is "Copperhead Road" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 3 chords in the key of D, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Copperhead Road" in?

It is in the key of D.

Who wrote "Copperhead Road"?

It was written by Steve Earle, and released in 1988.

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

Atap to play

Key

D

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

D · G · A

Copperhead Road Chords – Mandolin

Steve Earle’s hard-driving country-rock anthem about moonshining in the Appalachian mountains. Intermediate difficulty in the key of D.

Hard Country Rock (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use an open D tuning or standard tuning with heavy downstrokes. This song has a relentless, driving energy — channel that Appalachian grit.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D

Well, my name’s John Lee Pettimore

D

Same as my daddy and his daddy before

D

You hardly ever saw Granddaddy down here

D

He only come to town about twice a year

G

He’d buy a hundred pounds of yeast and some copper line

A

Everybody knew that he made moonshine

Verse 2

D

Now the revenue man wanted Granddaddy bad

D

He headed up the holler with everything he had

D

It’s before my time but I’ve been told

D

He never come back from Copperhead Road

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Verse 3

D

Now Daddy ran the whiskey in a big block Dodge

D

Bought it at an auction at the Mason’s Lodge

D

”Johnson County Sheriff” painted on the side

D

Just shot a coat of primer then he looked inside

G

Well, him and his buddy with a case of dynamite

A

He blew that road right up that night

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Verse 4

D

Well I volunteered for the Army on my birthday

D

They draft the white trash first, ’round here anyway

D

I done two tours of duty in Vietnam

D

And I come home with a brand new plan

G

I take the seed from Colombia and Mexico

A

I plant it up the holler down Copperhead Road

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Outro

D

Now the D.E.A.’s got a chopper in the air

D

I wake up screaming like I’m back over there

G

I learned a thing or two from Charlie, don’t you know

A

You better stay away from Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

Practice tip: The verses are mostly D with the G-A turnaround at the end. The distinctive guitar riff uses an open D string drone. Practice the D to G to A transition to capture the song’s explosive energy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Copperhead Road"?

You need 3 beginner-friendly chords: D, G and A.

Is "Copperhead Road" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 3 chords in the key of D, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Copperhead Road" in?

It is in the key of D.

Who wrote "Copperhead Road"?

It was written by Steve Earle, and released in 1988.

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

Atap to play

Key

D

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

D · G · A

Copperhead Road Chords – Harmonica

Steve Earle’s hard-driving country-rock anthem about moonshining in the Appalachian mountains. Intermediate difficulty in the key of D.

Hard Country Rock (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use an open D tuning or standard tuning with heavy downstrokes. This song has a relentless, driving energy — channel that Appalachian grit.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D

Well, my name’s John Lee Pettimore

D

Same as my daddy and his daddy before

D

You hardly ever saw Granddaddy down here

D

He only come to town about twice a year

G

He’d buy a hundred pounds of yeast and some copper line

A

Everybody knew that he made moonshine

Verse 2

D

Now the revenue man wanted Granddaddy bad

D

He headed up the holler with everything he had

D

It’s before my time but I’ve been told

D

He never come back from Copperhead Road

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Verse 3

D

Now Daddy ran the whiskey in a big block Dodge

D

Bought it at an auction at the Mason’s Lodge

D

”Johnson County Sheriff” painted on the side

D

Just shot a coat of primer then he looked inside

G

Well, him and his buddy with a case of dynamite

A

He blew that road right up that night

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Verse 4

D

Well I volunteered for the Army on my birthday

D

They draft the white trash first, ’round here anyway

D

I done two tours of duty in Vietnam

D

And I come home with a brand new plan

G

I take the seed from Colombia and Mexico

A

I plant it up the holler down Copperhead Road

Chorus

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

GAD

Outro

D

Now the D.E.A.’s got a chopper in the air

D

I wake up screaming like I’m back over there

G

I learned a thing or two from Charlie, don’t you know

A

You better stay away from Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

D

Copperhead Road

Practice tip: The verses are mostly D with the G-A turnaround at the end. The distinctive guitar riff uses an open D string drone. Practice the D to G to A transition to capture the song’s explosive energy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Copperhead Road"?

You need 3 beginner-friendly chords: D, G and A.

Is "Copperhead Road" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 3 chords in the key of D, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Copperhead Road" in?

It is in the key of D.

Who wrote "Copperhead Road"?

It was written by Steve Earle, and released in 1988.