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I Gotta Go

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I Gotta Go
Robert Earl Keen
[Intro]
Bm F# Bm F# Bm F# Bm G D F# Bm G F# Bm
[Verse 1]
BmAin't got time to Gshoot the breeze, Dgot no time to F#blow
BmExcuse me mister Gif you pleaseF#, I gotta Bmgo
BmBorn one morn on the Gday of the dead in a Dbombed out bungaF#low
My Bmmomma kissed my Gcheek and saidF#, I gotta Bmgo
[Chorus]
GI gotta Dgo somewhereA  
I gotta Bmgo
BmWaistin' time Gstandin' hereF#  
I gotta Bmgo
[Verse 2]
BmThey put me in an Gorphanage Dwest of F#Tupelo
I Bmtold 'em when I Gburnt that bridgeF#, I gotta Bmgo
BmStole a car, Ggot a gun Drobbed the Hidey-F#Ho
BmI left Memphis Gon the runF#, I gotta Bmgo
[Chorus]
GI gotta Dgo somewhereA  
I gotta Bmgo
BmWaistin' time Gstandin' hereF#  
I gotta Bmgo
[Instrumental]
Bm G D F# Bm G F# Bm G D F# Bm G F# Bm G D A Bm G F#
[Verse 3]
BmFive card stud Gduces wild, Dthree kings in a F#row
I Bmturned that diamond Gduce and smiledF#, I gotta Bmgo
BmThey tracked my down, Gtook my take, Dbrother don't you F#know
I Bmtold 'em boys, there's Gsome mistakeF#, I gotta Bmgo
[Chorus]
GI gotta Dgo somewhereA  
I gotta Bmgo
BmWaistin' time Gstandin' hereF#  
I gotta Bmgo
[Verse 4]
BmCold steel up Gagainst my head, they Dturned the lights down F#low
In Bmcase you didn't Ghear I saidF#, I gotta go
[Last Verse]
These Bmare your very Glast words sir, Dsay 'em nice and F#slow
My Bmlast words on this Gplanet were...
[Chorus]
GI gotta Dgo somewhereA  
I gotta Bmgo
BmWaistin' time Gstandin' hereF#  
I gotta Bmgo
[Outro]
Bm F# Bm F# Bm F# Bm

All chords in this song (5)

The story behind the song

Robert Earl Keen is a country singer and songwriter from Houston, Texas, who grew up influenced by a wide range of music from British rock to country artists like Willie Nelson. He started playing guitar and writing songs after college, performing bluegrass and folk music. "I Gotta Go" feels like a direct expression of that restless, traveling spirit often found in country and folk music.

AI-written from these sources:Robert Earl Keen — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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Chord Book

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

I Gotta Go

by Robert Earl Keen

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

I Gotta Go

Robert Earl Keen

[Intro]

Bm F# Bm F# Bm F# Bm G D F# Bm G F# Bm

[Verse 1]

Bm G D F#

Ain't got time to shoot the breeze, got no time to blow

Bm G F# Bm

Excuse me mister if you please, I gotta go

Bm G D F#

Born one morn on the day of the dead in a bombed out bungalow

Bm G F# Bm

My momma kissed my cheek and said, I gotta go

[Chorus]

G D A

I gotta go somewhere

I gotta go

Bm G F#

Waistin' time standin' here

I gotta go

[Verse 2]

Bm G D F#

They put me in an orphanage west of Tupelo

Bm G F# Bm

I told 'em when I burnt that bridge, I gotta go

Bm G D F#

Stole a car, got a gun robbed the Hidey-Ho

Bm G F# Bm

I left Memphis on the run, I gotta go

[Chorus]

G D A

I gotta go somewhere

I gotta go

Bm G F#

Waistin' time standin' here

I gotta go

[Instrumental]

Bm G D F# Bm G F# Bm G D F# Bm G F# Bm G D A Bm G F#

[Verse 3]

Bm G D F#

Five card stud duces wild, three kings in a row

Bm G F# Bm

I turned that diamond duce and smiled, I gotta go

Bm G D F#

They tracked my down, took my take, brother don't you know

Bm G F# Bm

I told 'em boys, there's some mistake, I gotta go

[Chorus]

G D A

I gotta go somewhere

I gotta go

Bm G F#

Waistin' time standin' here

I gotta go

[Verse 4]

Bm G D F#

Cold steel up against my head, they turned the lights down low

Bm G F#

In case you didn't hear I said, I gotta go

[Last Verse]

Bm G D F#

These are your very last words sir, say 'em nice and slow

Bm G

My last words on this planet were...

[Chorus]

G D A

I gotta go somewhere

I gotta go

Bm G F#

Waistin' time standin' here

I gotta go

[Outro]

Bm F# Bm F# Bm F# Bm

About I Gotta Go Chords by Robert Earl Keen

Learn how to play I Gotta Go by Robert Earl Keen with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “I Gotta Go chords”, “I Gotta Go guitar chords”, or “Robert Earl Keen I Gotta Go 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 I Gotta Go chords and for experienced players who want accurate I Gotta Go lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Bm, F#, G, D, A.

FAQ — I Gotta Go by Robert Earl Keen

How do I play "I Gotta Go" by Robert Earl Keen on guitar?

Open the free chords for "I Gotta Go" by Robert Earl Keen 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 "I Gotta Go" by Robert Earl Keen free?

Yes. The chords for "I Gotta Go" by Robert Earl Keen are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "I Gotta Go" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "I Gotta Go"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "I Gotta Go" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "I Gotta Go" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "I Gotta Go" by Robert Earl Keen with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Robert Earl Keen below.

What key is "I Gotta Go" in?

The chords for "I Gotta Go" show the original chord names (including Bm, F#, G, D, A). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.