The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia
View chords used in this chart
CAPO at III
Am OPEN
He was on his way home from Candletop
C D
Been two weeks gone and he thought he stop
C Em Am
at Web's and have him a drink 'for he went home to her
Am OPEN
Andy Wo-Lo said hello
C D
he said 'Hi, what's a doing', Wo
C Em Am
said sit down, I got some bad news that's gonna hurt.
Am OPEN
Said I'm you best friend and you know that's right
C D
But your young bride ain't home tonight
C Em Am
Since you've been gone she's been seeing that Amos boy, Seth
Am OPEN
He got mad and he saw red
C D
Andy said, Boy, don't you lose your head
C Em Am
Cause to tell you the truth, I've been with her myself
[Refrão] A B E
That's the night that the lights went out in Georgia
A B E
That's the night that they hung an innocent man
A B E
Don't trust your soul to no backwoods Southern lawyer
A B Em
Cause the judge in the town's got blood stains on his hands
Am OPEN
Andy got scared and he left the bar
C D
Walking on home cause he didn't live far
C Em Am
You see, Andy didn't have many friends and he just lost him one
Am OPEN
Brother thought his wife must've left town
C D
So he went home and finally found
C Em Am
the only thing Daddy left him and that was a gun
Am OPEN
He went off to Andy's house
C D
Slipping through the woods as quiet as a mouse
C Em Am
Come upon some tracks too small for Andy to make
Am OPEN
He looked through the screen at the back porch door
C D
He saw Andy lying on the floor
C Em Am
In a puddle of blood, and he started to shake.
A B
The Georgia Patrol was making their rounds
E E
so he fired a shot just to flag them down
A B
A big bellied sheriff grabbed his gun and said,
Em
Why'd you do it?
*****
Am OPEN
The Judge said Guilty in a make believe trial
C D
Slapped the Sheriff on the back with a smile
C Em Am
And said suppers waiting at home and I gotta get to it.
*****
Am OPEN
They hung my brother before I could say
C D
the tracks he saw while on this way
C Em Am
to Andy's house and back that night were mine
Am OPEN
And his cheatin' wife had never left town
C D
That's one body that'll never be found
C Em Am
You see, little sister don't miss when she aims her gun
A B E
That's the night that the lights went out in Georgia
A B E
That's the night that they hung an innocent man
A B E
Don't trust your soul to no backwoods Southern lawyer
A B E
Cause the judge in the town's got blood stains on his hands
How to play The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia
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 Am. 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.