Country

Whiskey Lullaby Chords

Brad Paisley & Alison Krauss Beginner Key of A 5 Chords 4 min read Updated Jul 2026

Amtap to play

Ctap to play

Gtap to play

Ftap to play

Emtap to play

Key

A

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

Am · C · G · F · Em

Whiskey Lullaby Chords – Guitar

A heartbreaking country duet by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss about loss and regret. Beginner difficulty in the key of A.

Slow Ballad (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a slow, steady strum to match the somber mood of the song.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

A E

She put him out like the burnin’ end of a midnight cigarette

A E

She broke his heart, he spent his whole life tryin’ to forget

A E

We watched him drink his pain away a little at a time

A E

But he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind

A

Until the night

Chorus

E A

He put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away her memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength he had to get up off his knees

E A

They found him with his face down in the pillow

F#m D

With a note that said, “I’ll love her till I die”

E A

And when they buried him beneath the willow

F#m D E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Verse 2

A E

The rumors flew but nobody knew how much she blamed herself

A E

For years and years she tried to hide the whiskey on her breath

A E

She finally drank her pain away a little at a time

A E

But she never could get drunk enough to get him off her mind

A

Until the night

Chorus

E A

She put that bottle to her head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away his memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength she had to get up off her knees

E A

They found her with her face down in the pillow

F#m D

Clinging to his picture for dear life

E A

They laid her next to him beneath the willow

F#m D E

While the angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Bridge

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Chorus

E A

They put that bottle to their head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away their memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength they had to get up off their knees

E A

They found them with their faces down in the pillow

F#m D

And on the nightstand, a picture for dear life

E A

Now they’re lying next to each other beneath the willow

F#m D E

And the angels sing a whiskey lullaby

Practice tip: The chord progression A, E, F#m, D is the core of this song; practice switching between these four chords smoothly before adding the lyrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Whiskey Lullaby"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: Am, C, G, F and Em.

Is "Whiskey Lullaby" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of A, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Whiskey Lullaby" in?

It is in the key of A.

Who wrote "Whiskey Lullaby"?

It was written by Bill Anderson, Jon Randall, and released in 2004.

Amtap to play

Ctap to play

Gtap to play

Ftap to play

Emtap to play

Key

A

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

Am · C · G · F · Em

Whiskey Lullaby Chords – Ukulele

A heartbreaking country duet by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss about loss and regret. Beginner difficulty in the key of A.

Slow Ballad (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a slow, steady strum to match the somber mood of the song.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

A E

She put him out like the burnin’ end of a midnight cigarette

A E

She broke his heart, he spent his whole life tryin’ to forget

A E

We watched him drink his pain away a little at a time

A E

But he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind

A

Until the night

Chorus

E A

He put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away her memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength he had to get up off his knees

E A

They found him with his face down in the pillow

F#m D

With a note that said, “I’ll love her till I die”

E A

And when they buried him beneath the willow

F#m D E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Verse 2

A E

The rumors flew but nobody knew how much she blamed herself

A E

For years and years she tried to hide the whiskey on her breath

A E

She finally drank her pain away a little at a time

A E

But she never could get drunk enough to get him off her mind

A

Until the night

Chorus

E A

She put that bottle to her head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away his memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength she had to get up off her knees

E A

They found her with her face down in the pillow

F#m D

Clinging to his picture for dear life

E A

They laid her next to him beneath the willow

F#m D E

While the angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Bridge

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Chorus

E A

They put that bottle to their head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away their memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength they had to get up off their knees

E A

They found them with their faces down in the pillow

F#m D

And on the nightstand, a picture for dear life

E A

Now they’re lying next to each other beneath the willow

F#m D E

And the angels sing a whiskey lullaby

Practice tip: The chord progression A, E, F#m, D is the core of this song; practice switching between these four chords smoothly before adding the lyrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Whiskey Lullaby"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: Am, C, G, F and Em.

Is "Whiskey Lullaby" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of A, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Whiskey Lullaby" in?

It is in the key of A.

Who wrote "Whiskey Lullaby"?

It was written by Bill Anderson, Jon Randall, and released in 2004.

Amtap to play

Ctap to play

Gtap to play

Ftap to play

Emtap to play

Key

A

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

Am · C · G · F · Em

Whiskey Lullaby Chords – Piano

A heartbreaking country duet by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss about loss and regret. Beginner difficulty in the key of A.

Slow Ballad (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a slow, steady strum to match the somber mood of the song.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

A E

She put him out like the burnin’ end of a midnight cigarette

A E

She broke his heart, he spent his whole life tryin’ to forget

A E

We watched him drink his pain away a little at a time

A E

But he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind

A

Until the night

Chorus

E A

He put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away her memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength he had to get up off his knees

E A

They found him with his face down in the pillow

F#m D

With a note that said, “I’ll love her till I die”

E A

And when they buried him beneath the willow

F#m D E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Verse 2

A E

The rumors flew but nobody knew how much she blamed herself

A E

For years and years she tried to hide the whiskey on her breath

A E

She finally drank her pain away a little at a time

A E

But she never could get drunk enough to get him off her mind

A

Until the night

Chorus

E A

She put that bottle to her head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away his memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength she had to get up off her knees

E A

They found her with her face down in the pillow

F#m D

Clinging to his picture for dear life

E A

They laid her next to him beneath the willow

F#m D E

While the angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Bridge

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Chorus

E A

They put that bottle to their head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away their memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength they had to get up off their knees

E A

They found them with their faces down in the pillow

F#m D

And on the nightstand, a picture for dear life

E A

Now they’re lying next to each other beneath the willow

F#m D E

And the angels sing a whiskey lullaby

Practice tip: The chord progression A, E, F#m, D is the core of this song; practice switching between these four chords smoothly before adding the lyrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Whiskey Lullaby"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: Am, C, G, F and Em.

Is "Whiskey Lullaby" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of A, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Whiskey Lullaby" in?

It is in the key of A.

Who wrote "Whiskey Lullaby"?

It was written by Bill Anderson, Jon Randall, and released in 2004.

Amtap to play

Ctap to play

Gtap to play

Ftap to play

Emtap to play

Key

A

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

Am · C · G · F · Em

Whiskey Lullaby Chords – Banjo

A heartbreaking country duet by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss about loss and regret. Beginner difficulty in the key of A.

Slow Ballad (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a slow, steady strum to match the somber mood of the song.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

A E

She put him out like the burnin’ end of a midnight cigarette

A E

She broke his heart, he spent his whole life tryin’ to forget

A E

We watched him drink his pain away a little at a time

A E

But he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind

A

Until the night

Chorus

E A

He put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away her memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength he had to get up off his knees

E A

They found him with his face down in the pillow

F#m D

With a note that said, “I’ll love her till I die”

E A

And when they buried him beneath the willow

F#m D E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Verse 2

A E

The rumors flew but nobody knew how much she blamed herself

A E

For years and years she tried to hide the whiskey on her breath

A E

She finally drank her pain away a little at a time

A E

But she never could get drunk enough to get him off her mind

A

Until the night

Chorus

E A

She put that bottle to her head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away his memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength she had to get up off her knees

E A

They found her with her face down in the pillow

F#m D

Clinging to his picture for dear life

E A

They laid her next to him beneath the willow

F#m D E

While the angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Bridge

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Chorus

E A

They put that bottle to their head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away their memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength they had to get up off their knees

E A

They found them with their faces down in the pillow

F#m D

And on the nightstand, a picture for dear life

E A

Now they’re lying next to each other beneath the willow

F#m D E

And the angels sing a whiskey lullaby

Practice tip: The chord progression A, E, F#m, D is the core of this song; practice switching between these four chords smoothly before adding the lyrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Whiskey Lullaby"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: Am, C, G, F and Em.

Is "Whiskey Lullaby" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of A, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Whiskey Lullaby" in?

It is in the key of A.

Who wrote "Whiskey Lullaby"?

It was written by Bill Anderson, Jon Randall, and released in 2004.

Amtap to play

Ctap to play

Gtap to play

Ftap to play

Emtap to play

Key

A

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

Am · C · G · F · Em

Whiskey Lullaby Chords – Mandolin

A heartbreaking country duet by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss about loss and regret. Beginner difficulty in the key of A.

Slow Ballad (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a slow, steady strum to match the somber mood of the song.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

A E

She put him out like the burnin’ end of a midnight cigarette

A E

She broke his heart, he spent his whole life tryin’ to forget

A E

We watched him drink his pain away a little at a time

A E

But he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind

A

Until the night

Chorus

E A

He put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away her memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength he had to get up off his knees

E A

They found him with his face down in the pillow

F#m D

With a note that said, “I’ll love her till I die”

E A

And when they buried him beneath the willow

F#m D E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Verse 2

A E

The rumors flew but nobody knew how much she blamed herself

A E

For years and years she tried to hide the whiskey on her breath

A E

She finally drank her pain away a little at a time

A E

But she never could get drunk enough to get him off her mind

A

Until the night

Chorus

E A

She put that bottle to her head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away his memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength she had to get up off her knees

E A

They found her with her face down in the pillow

F#m D

Clinging to his picture for dear life

E A

They laid her next to him beneath the willow

F#m D E

While the angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Bridge

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Chorus

E A

They put that bottle to their head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away their memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength they had to get up off their knees

E A

They found them with their faces down in the pillow

F#m D

And on the nightstand, a picture for dear life

E A

Now they’re lying next to each other beneath the willow

F#m D E

And the angels sing a whiskey lullaby

Practice tip: The chord progression A, E, F#m, D is the core of this song; practice switching between these four chords smoothly before adding the lyrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Whiskey Lullaby"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: Am, C, G, F and Em.

Is "Whiskey Lullaby" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of A, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Whiskey Lullaby" in?

It is in the key of A.

Who wrote "Whiskey Lullaby"?

It was written by Bill Anderson, Jon Randall, and released in 2004.

Amtap to play

Ctap to play

Gtap to play

Ftap to play

Emtap to play

Key

A

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

Am · C · G · F · Em

Whiskey Lullaby Chords – Harmonica

A heartbreaking country duet by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss about loss and regret. Beginner difficulty in the key of A.

Slow Ballad (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a slow, steady strum to match the somber mood of the song.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

A E

She put him out like the burnin’ end of a midnight cigarette

A E

She broke his heart, he spent his whole life tryin’ to forget

A E

We watched him drink his pain away a little at a time

A E

But he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind

A

Until the night

Chorus

E A

He put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away her memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength he had to get up off his knees

E A

They found him with his face down in the pillow

F#m D

With a note that said, “I’ll love her till I die”

E A

And when they buried him beneath the willow

F#m D E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Verse 2

A E

The rumors flew but nobody knew how much she blamed herself

A E

For years and years she tried to hide the whiskey on her breath

A E

She finally drank her pain away a little at a time

A E

But she never could get drunk enough to get him off her mind

A

Until the night

Chorus

E A

She put that bottle to her head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away his memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength she had to get up off her knees

E A

They found her with her face down in the pillow

F#m D

Clinging to his picture for dear life

E A

They laid her next to him beneath the willow

F#m D E

While the angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Bridge

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

D A E

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

Chorus

E A

They put that bottle to their head and pulled the trigger

F#m D

And finally drank away their memory

E A

Life is short but this time it was bigger

F#m D

Than the strength they had to get up off their knees

E A

They found them with their faces down in the pillow

F#m D

And on the nightstand, a picture for dear life

E A

Now they’re lying next to each other beneath the willow

F#m D E

And the angels sing a whiskey lullaby

Practice tip: The chord progression A, E, F#m, D is the core of this song; practice switching between these four chords smoothly before adding the lyrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Whiskey Lullaby"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: Am, C, G, F and Em.

Is "Whiskey Lullaby" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of A, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Whiskey Lullaby" in?

It is in the key of A.

Who wrote "Whiskey Lullaby"?

It was written by Bill Anderson, Jon Randall, and released in 2004.