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Early Morning Rain

Chords

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Early Morning Rain chords
Capo III ****
[Intro]
D  G  A  G  D  G  D
[Verse 1]
                    D   A*
In the early morning rain
                    G   D*
 With a dollar in my hand
With an aching in my Emheart
 GAnd my pockets full of Dsand
                    Em**
I'm a long way from home
G***                     D  
 and I miss my loved one so
In the early morning Arain
 GWith no place to Dgo
[Verse 2]
DOut on the runway number Anine
 GBig 707 set to Dgo
And I'm stuck here in the Emgrass
 GWith a pain that ever Dgrows
Now the liquor tasted Emgood
 GAnd the women all were Dfast
Well there she goes my Afriend
 GShe'll be rolling down at DlastG  A  G  D  G  D  
[Verse 3]
DHear the mighty engines Aroar
 GSee the silver wing on Dhigh
She's away and westward Embound
 GFar above the clouds she'll Dfly
Where the morning rain don't Emfall
 GAnd the sun always Dshines
She'll be flying o'er my Ahome
 GIn about three hours DtimeG  A  G  D  G  D  
[Verse 4]
DThis old airport's got me Adown
 GIt's no earthly good to Dme
And I'm stuck here on the Emground
 GAs cold and drunk as I can Dbe
You can't jump a jet Emplane
 GLike you can a freight Dtrain
So I best be on my Away
 GIn the early morning Drain
Ending
DYou can't jump a jet Emplane
 GLike you can a freight Dtrain
So I best be on my Away
 GIn the early morning DrainG  A  G  D  G  D  
*    Try Asus4 A and Dsus4 D to jazz the tab up a bit
**   Some folks believe G sounds better here then Em
***  Some folks believe A sounds better here then G
  D= F  
  A= C  
  G= Bb  
 Em= Gm  
Capo V
  D= C  
  A= G  
  G= F  
 Em= Dm  
Open (These chords are not in the original key)
  D= A  
  A= E  
  G= D  
 Em= Bm  
  D= G  
  A= D  
  G= C  
 Em= Am  

All chords in this song (12)

The story behind the song

"Early Morning Rain" paints a picture of someone down on their luck, watching planes take off from an airport fence, yearning to get home. Gordon Lightfoot wrote the song in 1964, inspired by his own homesickness while living in Los Angeles, where he would watch aircraft on rainy days. The song serves as a modern allegory for the old hobo trying to catch a freight train, but with the poignant realization that "you can't jump a jet plane like you can a freight train." It captures a deep sense of longing and the frustration of being unable to return home.

AI-written from these sources:Early Morning Rain — Wikipedia ↗Gordon Lightfoot — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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Chord Book

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

Early Morning Rain

by Gordon Lightfoot

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Early Morning Rain chords

Capo III ****

[Intro]

D G A G D G D

[Verse 1]

D A

In the early morning rain

G D

With a dollar in my hand

With an aching in my heart

G D

And my pockets full of sand

I'm a long way from home

G D

***

and I miss my loved one so

In the early morning rain

G D

With no place to go

[Verse 2]

D A

Out on the runway number nine

G D

Big 707 set to go

And I'm stuck here in the grass

G D

With a pain that ever grows

Now the liquor tasted good

G D

And the women all were fast

Well there she goes my friend

G D G A G D G D

She'll be rolling down at last

[Verse 3]

D A

Hear the mighty engines roar

G D

See the silver wing on high

She's away and westward bound

G D

Far above the clouds she'll fly

Where the morning rain don't fall

G D

And the sun always shines

She'll be flying o'er my home

G D G A G D G D

In about three hours time

[Verse 4]

D A

This old airport's got me down

G D

It's no earthly good to me

And I'm stuck here on the ground

G D

As cold and drunk as I can be

You can't jump a jet plane

G D

Like you can a freight train

So I best be on my way

G D

In the early morning rain

Ending

D Em

You can't jump a jet plane

G D

Like you can a freight train

So I best be on my way

G D G A G D G D

In the early morning rain

* Try Asus4 A and Dsus4 D to jazz the tab up a bit

** Some folks believe G sounds better here then Em

*** Some folks believe A sounds better here then G

D F

A C

G Bb

Em Gm

Capo V

D C

A G

G F

Em Dm

Open (These chords are not in the original key)

D A

A E

G D

Em Bm

D G

A D

G C

Em Am

About Early Morning Rain Chords by Gordon Lightfoot

Learn how to play Early Morning Rain by Gordon Lightfoot with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Early Morning Rain chords”, “Early Morning Rain guitar chords”, or “Gordon Lightfoot Early Morning Rain 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 Early Morning Rain chords and for experienced players who want accurate Early Morning Rain lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include D, G, A, Em, Asus4, Dsus4.

FAQ — Early Morning Rain by Gordon Lightfoot

How do I play "Early Morning Rain" by Gordon Lightfoot on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Early Morning Rain" by Gordon Lightfoot 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 "Early Morning Rain" by Gordon Lightfoot free?

Yes. The chords for "Early Morning Rain" by Gordon Lightfoot are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Early Morning Rain" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Early Morning Rain" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Early Morning Rain"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Early Morning Rain" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Early Morning Rain" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Early Morning Rain" by Gordon Lightfoot with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Gordon Lightfoot below.

What key is "Early Morning Rain" in?

The chords for "Early Morning Rain" show the original chord names (including D, G, A, Em, Asus4, Dsus4). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.