Folk

Sweet Baby James Chords

James Taylor Beginner Key of G 5 Chords 3 min read

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Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

G · C · D · Em · Am

James Taylor’s gentle folk ballad about a lonesome cowboy on a winter’s evening. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light touch and let the chords ring out to match the song’s calm, storytelling feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G

There is a young cowboy, he lives on the range

C G Em

His horse and his cattle are his only companions

Am C

He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons

G D

Waiting for summer, his pastures to change

Verse 2

G

And as the moon rises he sits by his fire

C G Em

Thinking about women and glass of good whiskey

Am C

And waiting for morning and feeling the hunger

G D

Waiting for daylight to go on his way

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Verse 3

G

Now the first of December was covered with snow

C G Em

And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston

Am C

Though the Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting

G D

With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Bridge

Am C G Em

Now the moonlight’s bright on the meadow

Am C G D

And the snow on the mountain will soon be gone

Am C G Em

And the first of December was covered with snow

Am C G D

And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Practice tip: The bridge uses the same chord shapes as the rest of the song, just in a different order; practice the Am-to-C transition slowly to keep the flow steady.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Amtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

G · C · D · Em · Am

James Taylor’s gentle folk ballad about a lonesome cowboy on a winter’s evening. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light touch and let the chords ring out to match the song’s calm, storytelling feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G

There is a young cowboy, he lives on the range

C G Em

His horse and his cattle are his only companions

Am C

He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons

G D

Waiting for summer, his pastures to change

Verse 2

G

And as the moon rises he sits by his fire

C G Em

Thinking about women and glass of good whiskey

Am C

And waiting for morning and feeling the hunger

G D

Waiting for daylight to go on his way

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Verse 3

G

Now the first of December was covered with snow

C G Em

And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston

Am C

Though the Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting

G D

With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Bridge

Am C G Em

Now the moonlight’s bright on the meadow

Am C G D

And the snow on the mountain will soon be gone

Am C G Em

And the first of December was covered with snow

Am C G D

And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Practice tip: The bridge uses the same chord shapes as the rest of the song, just in a different order; practice the Am-to-C transition slowly to keep the flow steady.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Amtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

G · C · D · Em · Am

James Taylor’s gentle folk ballad about a lonesome cowboy on a winter’s evening. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light touch and let the chords ring out to match the song’s calm, storytelling feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G

There is a young cowboy, he lives on the range

C G Em

His horse and his cattle are his only companions

Am C

He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons

G D

Waiting for summer, his pastures to change

Verse 2

G

And as the moon rises he sits by his fire

C G Em

Thinking about women and glass of good whiskey

Am C

And waiting for morning and feeling the hunger

G D

Waiting for daylight to go on his way

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Verse 3

G

Now the first of December was covered with snow

C G Em

And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston

Am C

Though the Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting

G D

With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Bridge

Am C G Em

Now the moonlight’s bright on the meadow

Am C G D

And the snow on the mountain will soon be gone

Am C G Em

And the first of December was covered with snow

Am C G D

And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Practice tip: The bridge uses the same chord shapes as the rest of the song, just in a different order; practice the Am-to-C transition slowly to keep the flow steady.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Amtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

G · C · D · Em · Am

James Taylor’s gentle folk ballad about a lonesome cowboy on a winter’s evening. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light touch and let the chords ring out to match the song’s calm, storytelling feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G

There is a young cowboy, he lives on the range

C G Em

His horse and his cattle are his only companions

Am C

He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons

G D

Waiting for summer, his pastures to change

Verse 2

G

And as the moon rises he sits by his fire

C G Em

Thinking about women and glass of good whiskey

Am C

And waiting for morning and feeling the hunger

G D

Waiting for daylight to go on his way

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Verse 3

G

Now the first of December was covered with snow

C G Em

And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston

Am C

Though the Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting

G D

With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Bridge

Am C G Em

Now the moonlight’s bright on the meadow

Am C G D

And the snow on the mountain will soon be gone

Am C G Em

And the first of December was covered with snow

Am C G D

And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Practice tip: The bridge uses the same chord shapes as the rest of the song, just in a different order; practice the Am-to-C transition slowly to keep the flow steady.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Amtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

G · C · D · Em · Am

James Taylor’s gentle folk ballad about a lonesome cowboy on a winter’s evening. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light touch and let the chords ring out to match the song’s calm, storytelling feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G

There is a young cowboy, he lives on the range

C G Em

His horse and his cattle are his only companions

Am C

He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons

G D

Waiting for summer, his pastures to change

Verse 2

G

And as the moon rises he sits by his fire

C G Em

Thinking about women and glass of good whiskey

Am C

And waiting for morning and feeling the hunger

G D

Waiting for daylight to go on his way

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Verse 3

G

Now the first of December was covered with snow

C G Em

And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston

Am C

Though the Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting

G D

With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Bridge

Am C G Em

Now the moonlight’s bright on the meadow

Am C G D

And the snow on the mountain will soon be gone

Am C G Em

And the first of December was covered with snow

Am C G D

And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Practice tip: The bridge uses the same chord shapes as the rest of the song, just in a different order; practice the Am-to-C transition slowly to keep the flow steady.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Amtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

G · C · D · Em · Am

James Taylor’s gentle folk ballad about a lonesome cowboy on a winter’s evening. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light touch and let the chords ring out to match the song’s calm, storytelling feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G

There is a young cowboy, he lives on the range

C G Em

His horse and his cattle are his only companions

Am C

He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons

G D

Waiting for summer, his pastures to change

Verse 2

G

And as the moon rises he sits by his fire

C G Em

Thinking about women and glass of good whiskey

Am C

And waiting for morning and feeling the hunger

G D

Waiting for daylight to go on his way

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Verse 3

G

Now the first of December was covered with snow

C G Em

And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston

Am C

Though the Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting

G D

With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Bridge

Am C G Em

Now the moonlight’s bright on the meadow

Am C G D

And the snow on the mountain will soon be gone

Am C G Em

And the first of December was covered with snow

Am C G D

And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston

Chorus

C

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

G

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

G

Won’t you let me go down in my dreams

C G

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Practice tip: The bridge uses the same chord shapes as the rest of the song, just in a different order; practice the Am-to-C transition slowly to keep the flow steady.