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If I Could Only Fly

Chords

4.7107 votes

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Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

CAlmost felt you touching Fme just now
CI wish I knew which way to Gturn and go 
CI feel so good and then I Ffeel so bad 
G7I wonder what I ought to CdoF  C  
[Chorus]
FIf I could only fly, if I could Conly fly 
I’d bid this Gplace goodbye and come and be with Cyou 
But I can Fhardly stand, and I got nowhere to Crun 
Another sinking Gsun, and one more lonely Cnight
CWind keeps blowing somewhFere everyday
CTell me things get better sGomewhere up the way 
CJust dismal thinking on a Fdismal day
G7And sad songs for us to CbearF  C  
Solo over verse:
[Bridge]
FIf I could only fly, if we could Conly fly
If we could oGnly fly, there'd be no more lonely nCights
CYou know sometimes I write happy songs
FThen some little thing goes wrong
CAnd I wish they all could make you sGmileG7  
CComin home soon and I want to stay 
FMaybe we could somehow get away
GAnd I wish you could come with me when CI go againF  C  
[Chorus]
FIf I could only fly, if I could Conly fly 
I’d bid this Gplace goodbye and come and be with Cyou 
But I can Fhardly stand, and I got nowhere to Crun 
Another sinking Gsun, and one more lonely Cnight
*I also like to play this without the capo using E, A & B7 in place of C, F & G.  I alternate playing in 
standard open positions with the chord inversions below (kinda like how Merle plays it live):
 E0x6454
 Ax07655
 B7x21202
[Verse]
EAlmost felt you touching Ame just now
EI wish I knew which way to B7turn and go 
EI feel so good and then I Afeel so bad 
B7I wonder what I ought to EdoA  E  
[Chorus]
If I could Aonly fly, if I could Eonly fly 
I’d bid this B7place goodbye and come and be with Eyou 
But I can Ahardly stand, and I got noEwhere to run 
Another B7sinking sun, and one more lonely Enight

All chords in this song (7)

The story behind the song

This song is a cover of a tune written by Blaze Foley, which Merle Haggard previously recorded as a duet with Willie Nelson. Haggard himself was doing much better personally in the 1990s, having overcome drug and alcohol problems and married his fifth wife, even as he faced professional challenges. At its heart, the song carries a reflective and perhaps wistful feeling, hinting at desires for freedom or escape.

AI-written from these sources:If I Could Only Fly — Wikipedia ↗Merle Haggard — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

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Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

If I Could Only Fly

by Merle Haggard

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

C F

Almost felt you touching me just now

C G

I wish I knew which way to turn and go

C F

I feel so good and then I feel so bad

G7 C F C

I wonder what I ought to do

[Chorus]

F C

If I could only fly, if I could only fly

G C

I’d bid this place goodbye and come and be with you

F C

But I can hardly stand, and I got nowhere to run

G C

Another sinking sun, and one more lonely night

C F

Wind keeps blowing somewhere everyday

C G

Tell me things get better somewhere up the way

C F

Just dismal thinking on a dismal day

G7 C F C

And sad songs for us to bear

Solo over verse:

[Bridge]

F C

If I could only fly, if we could only fly

G C

If we could only fly, there'd be no more lonely nights

You know sometimes I write happy songs

Then some little thing goes wrong

C G G7

And I wish they all could make you smile

Comin home soon and I want to stay

Maybe we could somehow get away

G C F C

And I wish you could come with me when I go again

[Chorus]

F C

If I could only fly, if I could only fly

G C

I’d bid this place goodbye and come and be with you

F C

But I can hardly stand, and I got nowhere to run

G C

Another sinking sun, and one more lonely night

*I also like to play this without the capo using E, A & B7 in place of C, F & G. I alternate playing in

standard open positions with the chord inversions below (kinda like how Merle plays it live):

0x6454

x07655

x21202

[Verse]

E A

Almost felt you touching me just now

E B7

I wish I knew which way to turn and go

E A

I feel so good and then I feel so bad

B7 E A E

I wonder what I ought to do

[Chorus]

A E

If I could only fly, if I could only fly

B7 E

I’d bid this place goodbye and come and be with you

A E

But I can hardly stand, and I got nowhere to run

B7 E

Another sinking sun, and one more lonely night

About If I Could Only Fly Chords by Merle Haggard

Learn how to play If I Could Only Fly by Merle Haggard with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “If I Could Only Fly chords”, “If I Could Only Fly guitar chords”, or “Merle Haggard If I Could Only Fly chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy If I Could Only Fly chords and for experienced players who want accurate If I Could Only Fly lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C, F, G, G7, E, A.

FAQ — If I Could Only Fly by Merle Haggard

How do I play "If I Could Only Fly" by Merle Haggard on guitar?

Open the free chords for "If I Could Only Fly" by Merle Haggard on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "If I Could Only Fly" by Merle Haggard free?

Yes. The chords for "If I Could Only Fly" by Merle Haggard are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "If I Could Only Fly" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "If I Could Only Fly" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "If I Could Only Fly"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "If I Could Only Fly" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "If I Could Only Fly" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "If I Could Only Fly" by Merle Haggard with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Merle Haggard below.

What key is "If I Could Only Fly" in?

The chords for "If I Could Only Fly" show the original chord names (including C, F, G, G7, E, A). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.