Sep232020

Rod Taylor – The Goodnight-Loving Trail Live Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 9, 2026

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[Intro]
G   C   G   C   G   C   G   D   G   D

[Verse 1]
  G                      D            G     
From the cross-timbers down, to the buffalo
 C*
 gown
   G                           D Asus4 D
'Round "Chat-Per" then over the Concho
    G            D           G        C*
Up Sin Trail he draw, past Horsehead Trap
       G           D          G
Then north around Salt and O'Pecos

[Pre-Chorus]
 G                      C
Into the badlands of New Mexico
C*                                 
To the Indian camp, by the Bosque
   D Asus4 D
 Ridando
      C        D            G     
We fathered a steer, who's swinging
    C
 a bell

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[Chorus]
          G        D      G     C*      
On the Goodnight-Loving Trail, driving 
      G         D      G
the Goodnight-Loving Trail
C   G   C   G   D   G   D

[Verse 2]
     G               D          G   
For rough there's a heaven, for bed
          C
 there's a ground
          G                
For an armchair a horse and
     D Asus4 D
 a saddle
G            D               G   
Wise man he works just for fourty
     C
 and found
 G             D             G
Rich man must work for his cattle

[Pre-Chorus]
         G                 
Keep an eye on the boss, 
             C
keep two on the herd
C*                        
Keep singing and crooning,
                       D Asus4 D
 so you don't get 'em stirred
         C       D         G     
For the San Penda Fe get a twist
         C
 in their tails

[Chorus]
          G        D      G     C    
On the Goodnight-Loving Trail, driving 
      G         D      G
the Goodnight-Loving Trail

Feel free to use our free Chord Shape Generator to see every chord in this song on guitar, ukulele and piano.

[Verse 3]
     G             D          
In spring we'd be gathered by
     G            C
 the banks of the Brazos
    G                         D Asus4 D
By fall we'd be settled in Denver
G        D                G        C
John I live, by what the army had left us
    G         D            G
We try to be home by the winter

[Pre-Chorus]
  G                        
Barbed wire and esters and
  C*
 mould-board plows
C*                         
Make us all useless as the
              D Asus4 D
 horns on our cows
  C*             D             
While the steam engines whistle,
   G        C*
 sound us farewell.

[Chorus]
         G        D      G    
On the Goodnight-Loving Trail,
 C*            G         D      G
 driving the Goodnight-Loving Trail


[Verse 4]
    G            D        G    
Watch out for Comanches, rustle
       C*
 your sheep
        G                        D Asus4 D
Watch closely the hand of the stranger
G        D         G     C*
Mexican bandits, gringo horsetheives
       G             D        G
The trail life has plenty of dangers

     G                     
And barbed wire and esters 
    C*
and mould-board plows
C*                         
Make us all useless as the
               D Asus4 D
 horns on our cows
  C*              D            
While the steam engines whistle,
    G        C*
 sound us farewell.


[Chorus]
         G        D      G    
On the Goodnight-Loving Trail, 
 C             G         D      G
driving the Goodnight-Loving Trail

[Outro]
C   G   C   G   D   G

How to play The Goodnight-Loving Trail Live: key, chords and progression

This is the chords of The Goodnight-Loving Trail Live by Rod Taylor on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard.

The Goodnight-Loving Trail Live by Rod Taylor keeps coming home to G major (one sharp: F♯). You need 4 chords: G, C, D and Asus4.

The progression the song keeps returning to is G – C – G – D (I – IV – I – V in G major). In solfa, that is doh – fah – doh – soh. Learn these 4 changes first and most of the song falls into place.

Beginner-friendly: every chord here is an open shape on guitar: no capo, no barre chords needed.