Decoration Day
View chords used in this chart
Intro
| C C/B | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | G G/B | Am |
[Verso 1]
C C/B Am Am/E
. It's Decoration Day . .
C C/B Am Am/E
. And I've a mind to roll a stone on his grave
C C/B Am Am/E
. What would he say? . .
G G/B Am
He'd say, "Keepin' me down, boy, won't keep you away"
[Verso 2]
C C/B Am Am/E
. It's Decoration Day . .
C C/B Am Am/E
And I knew the Hill boys would put him away .
C C/B Am Am/E
My Daddy wasn't afraid .
G G/B Am
Said, "We'd fight 'til the last Lawson's last livin' day"
[Verso 3]
C C/B Am Am/E
Well, I never knew how it all got started
C C/B Am Am/E
. Problem with Holland before we were born
C C/B Am Am/E
And I don't know the name of the boy we tied down
G G/B Am
And we beat 'til he just couldn't walk anymore
[Verso 4]
C C/B Am Am/E
But I know the caliber in Daddy's chest
C C/B Am Am/E
I know what Holland Hill drives .
C C/B Am Am/E
The state let him go so I guess it was best
G G/B Am
'Cause nobody needs all us Lawsons alive
Break 1
| G G/B | Am | Em | Em | Em | Em |
[Verso 5]
C C/B Am Am/E
My Daddy said one of the boys had come by
C C/B Am Am/E
The lumber man's favorite son .
C C/B Am Am/E
He said, “Beat him real good but don't dare let him die”
G G/B Am
And if you see Holland Hill run
[Verso 6]
C C/B Am Am/E
Well, I said, “They ain't give us trouble no more
C C/B Am Am/E
That we ain't brought down on ourselves” .
C C/B Am Am/E
But a chain on my back and my ear to the floor
G G/B Am
And I'll send all the Hill Boys to hell
G G/B Am | Em | Em | Em | Em |
I'll send all the Hill boys to hell
Break 2
| C C/B | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | G G/B | Am Am/E |
| C C/B | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | G G/B | Am Am/E |
| C C/B | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | G G/B | Am Am/E |
| C C/B | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | G G/B | Am |
[Verso 7]
C C/B Am Am/E
. It's Decoration Day . .
C C/B Am Am/E
And I've got family in Mobile Bay .
C C/B Am Am/E
They ain't never seen my Daddy's grave . .
G G/B Am
That don't bother me, it ain't marked anyway
[Verso 8]
C C/B Am Am/E
'Cause I got dead brothers in Lauderdale south
C C/B Am Am/E
And I got dead brothers in east Tennessee
C C/B Am Am/E
My Daddy got shot right in front of his house
G G/B Am
He had no one to fall on but me
[Verso 9]
C C/B Am Am/E
. It's Decoration Day . .
C C/B Am Am/E
And I've a mind to go spit on his grave
C C/B Am Am/E
If I was a Hill, I'd have put him away
G G/B Am
And I'd fight 'til the last Lawson's last livin' day
G G/B Am
I'd fight 'til the last Lawson's last livin' day
G G/B Am Am
I'd fight 'til the last Lawson's last livin' day
Outro:
| C C/B | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | G G/B | Am Am/E |
| C C/B | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | G G/B | Am Am/E |
| C G | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | C G | Am Am/E | G G/B | Am Am/E |
| C C/B | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | C C/B | Am Am/E | G G/B | Am |
How to play Decoration Day
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is C. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.