Ghost Riders in the Sky


        First off, if you want just a simple version, ignore all the chords
in parentheses, and simply play the Em, G and C where indicated.  Strum in
a rythm that sounds like a galloping horse; you know, like the first few
opening bars to the theme from Bonanza (tum tada dum tada dum tada dum).

        On the other hand, you can make this simple song more interesting
with a few easy tricks.  The first is to play the bass line along with the
Em chord.  The bass line is easy, and goes...

E|------------
B|------------
G|------------
D|------------
A|-----1-2----
E|--0-------0-

--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--1-2-------1-
--------0-----

--------|
--------|
--------|
--------|
2-------|
----0---|

...where the open sixth string (E) is a quarter note, the two notes on the
fifth string (Bb abd B, repectively) are eighth notes.  If you play the Em
chord as...

EADGBe
||1|||
|23|||
||||||

...(Yes, that's right; two fingers on the fifth string), you can play the
bass line while you strum the Em chord just by picking up and putting
down your 3rd finger.

        The changes to (C/E) and (A/E) are attempts to cover the sound
originally filled in by a couple of background singers singing "ah" on the
notes B, C, C#, C.  This works on acoustic guitar if you continue to strum
the low E (open sixth string) rather prominantly while playing the
following positions.

   (
EADGBe but wit

   
h the low E pl

         
ayed  EADGBe  

  
  EADGBe  (i.e

., use your th

ird
||||1| with a vengeance!)         ||||||    ||||||   finger to mute the
||2|||                            ||111|    ||||1|   4th string.  I prefer
|3||||                            ||||||    ||||||   this because the 
                                  |3||||    |3x|||   changes are smoother)

Good luck.  Send email or post if you have any questions.

"Ghost Riders in the Sky"

[Verse]
            
An old cowpoke

              
 went riding o

       
ut one dark an

d windy day
   
Upon a ridge h

e rested as he

 went upon his

 way
            
When all at on

    (     
ce a mighty he

     (    
rd of red-eyed

        (
 cows he saw
             
Coming through

           (
 the ragged sk

)      
y, and up a cl

oudy draw

            
Their brands w

              
ere still on f

              
ire and their 


hooves were ma

de of steel
      
Their horns we

re black and s

hiny and their

 hot breath he

 could feel
            
A bolt of fear

      (   
 went through 

            (
him as they ru

/           
mbled through 

    (
the sky
             
Then he saw th

              
e riders comin

       (   
g hard,     an

     
d he heard the

ir mournful cr

y


(Chorus) 
             
Yippe-ai-ay, y

            (
ippee-ai-oh
           (
Ghost riders i

    
n the sky


            
As the riders 

              
loped on by hi

      
m, he heard on

e call his nam

e
            
If you want to

              
 save your sou

              
l from hell, a

              
 riding on thi

     
s range
            
Then cowboy ch

         (
ange your ways

         (
 today or with

            (
 us you will r

/
ide
             
Trying to catc

              
h the devil's 

   (    
herd,    acros

s these endles

s skies