The Drifter
View chords used in this chart
G
C G
Jesse and the padre try to keep things cool
D C G
Knowing exactly how to make stone into jewels
C G
The judge was the kind of man who always talked fast
D C
And the way things were going
G G/F#
His world wouldn't last
Em C D Em C
The desperados make a plan
D Em C
To set the town on fire
C D Em C
And when they try to make a stand
C D
They were ambushed at the wire
G
The drifter never stays to fight
G/F# Em
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
D
But it gets him nowhere
G
And the drifter never pays the price
G/F# Em
He's running through the day and the night
D C G
But he's running to nowhere
C G
The judge said boys don't you know this town is mine
D C G
Don't going try to change it everything will be just fine
C G
Those desperadoes don't pay them no mind
D C G G/F# Em
Everybody knows that they can't read or write
C D Em C
The judge put Jesse in the jail
D Em C
Although there is no crime
D Em C
The padre tried to get him out
D
With a stick of dynamite
G
The drifter never stays to fight
G/F# Em
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
D
But it gets him nowhere
G
And the drifter never pays a price
G/F# Em
He's running through the day and the night
D
But he's running to nowhere
C G F G F G Em Bm C Am D G
Oh no...
C G
The drifter knows he can't always go with the tide
D C G
The time will come when he'll have to choose up sides
C G
Which way will he go will it be left or right
D C G
The judge says things are either black or white
Em C D Em C
The desperados make a plan
D Em C
To set the town on fire
C D Em C
And when they try to make a stand
C D
They were ambushed at the wire
G
The drifter never stays to fight
G/F# Em
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
D
But it gets him nowhere
G
And the drifter never pays the price
G/F# Em
He's running through the day and the night
D C G
But he's running to nowhere
From Gene Clark & Carla Olson "So Rebellious A Lover"
How to play The Drifter
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.