Is Free Chord Book really free?

Yes. Free Chord Book is 100% free with no sign-up required. Access 670,000+ guitar chords, tabs, and lyrics for every song you want to learn.

How do I transpose chords to a different key?

Open any song and use the transpose buttons to move every chord up or down by half-steps. Perfect for singers who need a different key or capo players.

Can I see chord diagrams while I play?

Yes. Tap any chord in a song to instantly see its interactive guitar chord diagram, including alternate fingerings and variations.

What's the difference between guitar chords and guitar tabs?

Chords show you which strings to strum together (great for rhythm playing and singing). Tabs (tablature) show you exact note-by-note fingerings, which is great for solos, riffs, and fingerpicking.

Does Free Chord Book work on mobile?

Yes. Free Chord Book is fully responsive and works on phones, tablets, and desktops. Use auto-scroll to play hands-free. There is also a free iPhone app (The Chord Book) and Android app (Free Chords).

Is there an iPhone or Android app?

Yes. Download The Chord Book on the Apple App Store and Free Chords on Google Play. Same 670,000+ songs, transpose, tuner, and auto-scroll — 100% free.

Can I print guitar chords?

Yes. Open any song and tap the Print button next to Save. You'll get a branded chord sheet with the Chord Book logo, ready for practice.

Is there a built-in guitar tuner?

Yes. Free Chord Book includes a free online guitar tuner that uses your microphone and YIN pitch detection for accurate tuning in standard and alternate tunings.

How many songs are available?

Over 670,000 songs with chords, tabs, and lyrics — covering every genre, from rock and pop to country, indie, folk, and Hebrew songs.

Is Free Chord Book a good alternative to Ultimate Guitar?

Yes. Free Chord Book is a fast, ad-free, 100% free alternative to Ultimate Guitar with interactive chord diagrams, instant transpose, auto-scroll, and a built-in tuner — no account required.

SavedFavorites

Louisiana Man

Chords

4.411 votes

Listen

YouTubeYouTube SpotifySpotify AppleApple Music

Font15

KeyOriginal

Chords

Scroll

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

(G)Mmm- bop-bop-bomm-bah, bah-bop-bahmm-bah-bah.
mmm- bop-bop-bom-bah, bah-bop-(D)bah- buh- bop-(G)bahmmm
(G) At birth mom and papa called their little boy Ned
They raised him on the banks of the (D) river (G) bed
Houseboat tied to a big tall tree 
A home for my mama and my (D) papa and (G) me
The clock strikes three, papa jumps to his feet
Already mama's cookin' papa (D) somethin' to (G) eat
At half past, papa he's ready to go
He hops in his pirogue, headed (D) down the bay-(G)-ou
He's got (C) fishin' lines strung across the Louisiana River
Gotta catch a big fish for (G) us to (C) eat
Settin' traps in the swamp catchin' anythin' he can
Gotta make a livin' he's a Louisiana man
Gotta make a livin' he's a (G) Louisiana (C) man
(G) Muskrat hides  hangin' by the dozen
Even got a lady make a (D) muskrat (G) cousin
Got 'em out dryin' in the hot, hot sun
Tomorrow papa's gonna turn 'em (D) into (G) mon
(G)Mmm- bop-bop-bomm-bah, bah-bop-bahmm-bah-bah.
mmm- bop-bop-bom-bah, bah-bop-(D)bah- buh- bop-(G)bahmmm
(G) They call mama Rita and my daddy Jack
A little baby brother on the (D) floor that's (G) Mac
Brynn and Lynn are the family twins
Big brother Ed's on the (D) bayou (G) fishin'
On the river floats papa's great big boat
And that's how my papa goes (D) into (G) town
Takes ev'ry bit of the night and the day
To even reach a place where the (D) people (G) stay
(C) But I can hardly wait 'til tomorrow comes around
That's the day my pappy takes his (G) furs to (C) town
Papa promised me Ned and I could go
Even let me see a (G) cowboy (C) show
(G) Cowboys and Indians for the first time then
I told my papa, gotta (D) go a-(G)-gain
Papa said, son we got the lines to run
We'll come back but now there's (D) work to be (G) done
He's got (C) fishin' line strung across the Louisiana River
Gota catch a big fish for (G) us to (C) eat
Settin' traps in the swamps catchin' anythin' he can
Gotta make a livin' he's a Louisiana man
Gota make a livin' he's a (G) Louisiana (C) man
(G)Mmm- bop-bop-bomm-bah, bah-bop-bahmm-bah-bah.
mmm- bop-bop-bom-bah, bah-bop-(D)bah- buh- bop-(G)bahmmm

All chords in this song (3)

The story behind the song

Johnny Cash was known for his deep, calm voice and a distinctive sound characterized by train-like guitar rhythms. His music often explored themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption. Growing up on gospel music, he rose to fame in the rockabilly scene. This song, appearing on an album titled "Bootleg Vol. I: Personal File," plays like an intimate glimpse into his musical world.

AI-written from these sources:Johnny Cash — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

Got a tip for playing this song — capo position, easier chords, strumming? Be the first to share one.

Chord Book

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

Louisiana Man

by Johnny Cash

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

()Mmm- bop-bop-bomm-bah, bah-bop-bahmm-bah-bah.

D G

mmm- bop-bop-bom-bah, bah-bop-()bah- buh- bop-()bahmmm

() At birth mom and papa called their little boy Ned

D G

They raised him on the banks of the () river () bed

Houseboat tied to a big tall tree

D G

A home for my mama and my () papa and () me

The clock strikes three, papa jumps to his feet

D G

Already mama's cookin' papa () somethin' to () eat

At half past, papa he's ready to go

D G

He hops in his pirogue, headed () down the bay-()-ou

He's got () fishin' lines strung across the Louisiana River

G C

Gotta catch a big fish for () us to () eat

Settin' traps in the swamp catchin' anythin' he can

Gotta make a livin' he's a Louisiana man

G C

Gotta make a livin' he's a () Louisiana () man

() Muskrat hides hangin' by the dozen

D G

Even got a lady make a () muskrat () cousin

Got 'em out dryin' in the hot, hot sun

D G

Tomorrow papa's gonna turn 'em () into () mon

()Mmm- bop-bop-bomm-bah, bah-bop-bahmm-bah-bah.

D G

mmm- bop-bop-bom-bah, bah-bop-()bah- buh- bop-()bahmmm

() They call mama Rita and my daddy Jack

D G

A little baby brother on the () floor that's () Mac

Brynn and Lynn are the family twins

D G

Big brother Ed's on the () bayou () fishin'

On the river floats papa's great big boat

D G

And that's how my papa goes () into () town

Takes ev'ry bit of the night and the day

D G

To even reach a place where the () people () stay

() But I can hardly wait 'til tomorrow comes around

G C

That's the day my pappy takes his () furs to () town

Papa promised me Ned and I could go

G C

Even let me see a () cowboy () show

() Cowboys and Indians for the first time then

D G

I told my papa, gotta () go a-()-gain

Papa said, son we got the lines to run

D G

We'll come back but now there's () work to be () done

He's got () fishin' line strung across the Louisiana River

G C

Gota catch a big fish for () us to () eat

Settin' traps in the swamps catchin' anythin' he can

Gotta make a livin' he's a Louisiana man

G C

Gota make a livin' he's a () Louisiana () man

()Mmm- bop-bop-bomm-bah, bah-bop-bahmm-bah-bah.

mmm- bop-bop-bom-bah, bah-bop-(D)bah- buh- bop-()bahmmm

About Louisiana Man Chords by Johnny Cash

Learn how to play Louisiana Man by Johnny Cash with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Louisiana Man chords”, “Louisiana Man guitar chords”, or “Johnny Cash Louisiana Man 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 Louisiana Man chords and for experienced players who want accurate Louisiana Man lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, D, A, C.

FAQ — Louisiana Man by Johnny Cash

How do I play "Louisiana Man" by Johnny Cash on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Louisiana Man" by Johnny Cash 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 "Louisiana Man" by Johnny Cash free?

Yes. The chords for "Louisiana Man" by Johnny Cash are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Louisiana Man" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Louisiana Man"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Louisiana Man" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Louisiana Man" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Louisiana Man" by Johnny Cash with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Johnny Cash below.

What key is "Louisiana Man" in?

The chords for "Louisiana Man" show the original chord names (including G, D, A, C). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.