Ride the Rails
View chords used in this chart
G C G
I hid out,in a boxcar,on a slow train,heading west
G D
Dressed like a railman,so not to seem conspicous
G C
The train whistled four times,indicating,
G
a track change,
C G D G
So I hopped off in Albertie,near Portage and Main.
Chorus
C D5 D G
Ride the rails heading west,to the town I love best,
C D5 D
I can only tell myself,good luck to the rest.
C D5 D G
Ride the rails,ride the rails,to the city out west.
C D5 D G
(Ride the rails to that city I love best.)
omit from last Chorus.
Verse2
G C G
The folk there are gentle, the women so nice
G D
The Hospitality Inn,I sought for a bite,
G C G
A bar in the Cabaret,to quench a mans thirst,
C D G
Cigars on the pillow,and a rack of clean shirts,
Chorus
G C
There's the place that's just right,
C G
for a tuckered mans head,
C D
With a doubled up mattress,on a four postered bed,
C D G
Sheets of pure silk,a feathered pillow to match,
C A D G
Tattered and tired I lay down to rest.
Chorus,then last line,{Slowly}
C D G
Ride the rails to the city,for my final rest.
C...D...C, End
How to play Ride the Rails
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 G. 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.