Looking Back Now
View chords used in this chart
Capo 1
C G Am-G-F
Looking back now, I probably should've let him run
Am
He smelled like gin with a hint of her
C
Up 'til then I wasn't sure
G D
But he swaggered by and said "The boys said to tell you hey"
Am
And I was kicked back in his easy chair
C
Holding a fifth tapping the barrel
G D
Of a fresh cleaned steel blue polished up .38
F
And I was kind of hoping he'd at least look scared
But all he said was "Okay, she was good and you don't dare"
C G Am F
Looking back now I probably should've let him run
C G Am F
Paybacks are hell where I come from
C
And any fool should now
G Am
You don't look a woman in the eye and smile
F D
When she knows what you've done
F
And she's holding whiskey and a gun
Am
Well the sun shines gray in the prison yard
C
Life to go was going hard
G D
When the warden started getting sweet on me
Am
And he drug me to his room one night
C
And poured me some 'skey gave me a light
G D
And I smoked slow and waited 'til he was done
F
And I thought that was that 'til he got rough and I fought back
And when I grabbed his pistol he laughed and said
"Girl you ain't got the guts"
C G Am F
Looking back now I probably should've let him run
C G Am F
Paybacks are hell where I come from
C
And any fool should now
G Am
You don't look a woman in the eye and smile
F D
When she knows what you've done
F
And she's holding whiskey and a gun
Am
They're strapping me down and I'm scared to die
C
Now I ain't the kind of girl to cry
G D
But I find myself begging God for mercy
Am
My hands are cold as I start to slip
C
Sodium theopentol drips
G D
The room goes black and I wonder if He heard me
C G Am F
Looking back now I probably should've let him run
C G Am F
I bet paybacks are hell where I come from
C
And any fool should now
G Am
You don't look a woman in the eye and smile
F D
When she knows what you've done
F
And she's holding whiskey and a gun
C G Am F
Whiskey and a gun
C G Am F
Whiskey and a gun
C G Am F
Whiskey and a gun
How to play Looking Back Now
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.