Night Riders Lament chords by Ian Tyson

Chords with lyrics

• Capo on 2nd

Tuning: Standard (E MajorE A augmentedA D MajorD G+G BB E MajorE)

Verse 1:
 D MajorD         G+G
While I was out a-ridin'
   D MajorD                A augmentedA
The grave yard shift, midnight 'til dawn
   G+G    A augmentedA      D MajorD    B minorBm
The moon was bright as a readin' light
    A augmentedA       G+G        D MajorD   D7D7
For a letter from an old friend back home.

D7D7
And he asked me
G+G      A augmentedA       D MajorD
Why do you ride for your money
    G+G     A augmentedA       D MajorD
Tell me why do you rope for short pay
      G+G     A augmentedA
You ain't gettin' nowhere
      D MajorD      G+G G/F# E minorEm
And you're losin' your sha-a-a-are
     A augmentedA      G+G     D MajorD
Boy, you must-a gone crazy out there.

Verse 2:
     D MajorD           G+G
He said last night I ran onto Jenny
    D MajorD           A augmentedA
She's married and has a good life
     G+G        A augmentedA
Boy you sure missed the track
     D MajorD     B minorBm
When you never come back
      A augmentedA     G+G      D MajorD  D7D7
She's the perfect professional's wife.

D7D7
And she asked me
G+G      A augmentedA      D MajorD
Why does he ride for his money
      G+G      A augmentedA       D MajorD
And tell me why does he rope for short pay
     G+G     A augmentedA
He ain't gettin' nowhere
     D MajorD     G+G G/F# E minorEm
And he's losin' his sha-a-a-are
  A augmentedA      G+G     D MajorD   D7D7
He must've gone crazy out there.

Chorus:
D7D7      G+G   A augmentedA    D MajorD    B minorBm
But they've never seen the Northern Lights
 G+G      A augmentedA      D MajorD
Never seen a hawk on the wing
    G+G      A augmentedA       D MajorD    G+G G/F# E minorEm
They've never seen spring hit the Great Divi-i-i-ide
      A augmentedA        G+G      D MajorD
And they've never heard old camp cookie sing.

Verse 3:
D MajorD               G+G
Well I read up the last of my letter
D MajorD              A augmentedA
Tore off the stamp for Black Jim.
   G+G     A augmentedA    D MajorD    B minorBm
When Billy rode up to relieve me
     A augmentedA      G+G       D MajorD    D7D7
He just looked at my letter and he grinned.

D7D7
And he said
G+G      A augmentedA       D MajorD
Why do they ride for their money
    G+G      A augmentedA       D MajorD
Tell me why do they rope for short pay
      G+G     A augmentedA
They ain't gettin' nowhere
       D MajorD      G+G G/F# E minorEm
And they're losin' their sha-a-a-are
      A augmentedA      G+G    D MajorD   D7D7
Yeah, they all must be crazy out there.

Chorus:
D7D7      G+G   A augmentedA    D MajorD    B minorBm
But they've never seen the Northern Lights
     G+G      A augmentedA      D MajorD
They've never seen a hawk on the wing
     G+G     A augmentedA       D MajorD    G+G G/F# E minorEm
They've never seen spring hit the Great Divi-i-ide
       A augmentedA        G+G      D MajorD
And they've never heard old camp cookie sing.

OUTRO:
G+G D MajorD A augmentedA D MajorD
G+G D MajorD A augmentedA D MajorD