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Pancho And Lefty

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PANCHO AND LEFTY
(written by Townes Van Zandt)
As done by Emmylou Harris on her album Luxury Liner
[Intro]
C
[Verse 1]
  CLiving on the road my friend, Gis gonna keep you free and clean
  FNow you wear your skin like iron,
Your Cbreath's as hard as kGerosene
  FYou weren't your mama's only boy, but her Cfavorite one it Fseems
She beAmgan to cry when you sFaid gCoodbyGe,
And Fsank into your AmdreamsAm  G  
[Verse 2]
  CPancho was a bandit, boys, Ghis horse was fast as polished steel
  FHe wore his gun outside his pants
For Call the honest world to Gfeel
  FPancho met his match you know on the Cdeserts down in FMexico
And Amnobody heard his dFyinCg wGords, ah but Fthat's the way it AmgoesAm  G  
[Chorus]
  FAll the Federales say Cthey could have had him Fany day
  AmThey only let him Fslip CawGay out of Fkindness, I supAmposeAm  G  
[Verse 3]
  CLefty, he can't sing the blues Gall night long like he used to.
  FThe dust that Pancho bit down south Cended up in GLefty's mouth
  FThe day they laid poor Pancho low, CLefty split for FOhio
   AmWhere he got the Fbread Cto Ggo, there Fain't nobody AmknowsAm  G  
[Chorus]
  FAll the Federales say Ccould have had him Fany day
  AmWe only let him Fslip CawGay out of Fkindness, I supAmposeAm  F  C  C  
[Solo]
|       F|       F|       C|       F|
|      Am|  F   C|       G|       G|       F|
|      Am|   Am    G|
[Verse 4]
  CThe poets tell how Pancho fell,  GLefty's living in a cheap hotel
  FThe desert's quiet and Cleveland's cold,
  CAnd so the story Gends we're told
  FPancho needs your prayers it's true, Cbut save a few for FLefty too
  AmHe only did what he FhaCd Gto do, and Fnow he's growing AmoldAm  G  
[Chorus]
  FAll the Federales say Ccould have had him Fany day
  AmWe only let him Fslip CawGay out of Fkindness, I supAmposeAm  G  
  FA few gray Federales say Ccould have had him Fany day
  AmWe only let him Fgo Cso Glong, out of of Fkindness, I sAmupposeAm  F  C  

All chords in this song (4)

The story behind the song

Emmylou Harris is a pivotal figure in country rock and Americana, known for her distinctive voice and ability to blend country and rock influences. Her career took off in the mid-1970s, building on an early interest in folk music and a pivotal collaboration with Gram Parsons. This song, appearing on her album "Portraits," showcases the characteristic style that earned her critical acclaim and a dedicated audience. Playing it, you're tapping into the rich tapestry of a genre-defining artist.

AI-written from these sources:Emmylou Harris — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

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Pancho And Lefty

by Emmylou Harris

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

PANCHO AND LEFTY

(written by Townes Van Zandt)

As done by Emmylou Harris on her album Luxury Liner

[Intro]

[Verse 1]

C G

Living on the road my friend, is gonna keep you free and clean

Now you wear your skin like iron,

C G

Your breath's as hard as kerosene

F C F

You weren't your mama's only boy, but her favorite one it seems

Am F C G

She began to cry when you said goodbye,

F Am Am G

And sank into your dreams

[Verse 2]

C G

Pancho was a bandit, boys, his horse was fast as polished steel

He wore his gun outside his pants

C G

For all the honest world to feel

F C F

Pancho met his match you know on the deserts down in Mexico

Am F C G F Am Am G

And nobody heard his dying words, ah but that's the way it goes

[Chorus]

F C F

All the Federales say they could have had him any day

Am F C G F Am Am G

They only let him slip away out of kindness, I suppose

[Verse 3]

C G

Lefty, he can't sing the blues all night long like he used to.

F C G

The dust that Pancho bit down south ended up in Lefty's mouth

F C F

The day they laid poor Pancho low, Lefty split for Ohio

Am F C G F Am Am G

Where he got the bread to go, there ain't nobody knows

[Chorus]

F C F

All the Federales say could have had him any day

Am F C G F Am Am F C C

We only let him slip away out of kindness, I suppose

[Solo]

F F C F

| | | | |

Am F C G G F

| | | | | |

Am Am G

| | |

[Verse 4]

C G

The poets tell how Pancho fell, Lefty's living in a cheap hotel

The desert's quiet and Cleveland's cold,

C G

And so the story ends we're told

F C F

Pancho needs your prayers it's true, but save a few for Lefty too

Am F C G F Am Am G

He only did what he had to do, and now he's growing old

[Chorus]

F C F

All the Federales say could have had him any day

Am F C G F Am Am G

We only let him slip away out of kindness, I suppose

F C F

A few gray Federales say could have had him any day

Am F C G F Am Am F C

We only let him go so long, out of of kindness, I suppose

About Pancho And Lefty Chords by Emmylou Harris

Learn how to play Pancho And Lefty by Emmylou Harris with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Pancho And Lefty chords”, “Pancho And Lefty guitar chords”, or “Emmylou Harris Pancho And Lefty 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 Pancho And Lefty chords and for experienced players who want accurate Pancho And Lefty lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C, G, F, Am, A.

FAQ — Pancho And Lefty by Emmylou Harris

How do I play "Pancho And Lefty" by Emmylou Harris on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Pancho And Lefty" by Emmylou Harris 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 "Pancho And Lefty" by Emmylou Harris free?

Yes. The chords for "Pancho And Lefty" by Emmylou Harris are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Pancho And Lefty" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Pancho And Lefty"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Pancho And Lefty" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Pancho And Lefty" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Pancho And Lefty" by Emmylou Harris with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Emmylou Harris below.

What key is "Pancho And Lefty" in?

The chords for "Pancho And Lefty" show the original chord names (including C, G, F, Am, A). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.