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Take Em Away

Chords

4.7481 votes

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Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

Capo on 2nd fret
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzIetXVKjf8
[Chorus]
 CTake 'em away, Ftake 'em away, Lord
 CTake away these Gchains from me
 CMy heart is broken 'cause mFy spirit's not free
 CLord, take away these Gchains from Cme
[Verse 1]
CSome bird feathers are too Fbright to be caged
I Cknow I'm not that colorful but a Gbird just the same
COpen up your gate now let me Fput down my load
So CI can feel at ease and go Gback to my Chome
[Chorus]
 CTake 'em away, Ftake 'em away, Lord
 CTake away these Gchains from me
 CMy heart is broken 'cause mFy spirit's not free
 CLord, take away these Gchains from Cme
[Verse 2]
CSun beatin' down my legs cFan't seem to stand
There's a Cboss man at a turnrow with a Grifle in his hand
 CI've got nine children, Fnothin' in the pan
My Cwife she died hungry while GI was plowin' Cland
[Chorus]
 CTake 'em away, Ftake 'em away, Lord
 CTake away these Gchains from me
 CMy heart is broken 'cause mFy spirit's not free
 CLord, take away these Gchains from Cme
[Instrumental]
F  C  G  C  F  C  G  C
[Verse 3]
CCan't see when I go to work, can't Fsee when I get off
 CHow do you expect a man Gnot to get lost
CEvery year I just keep getting Fdeeper in debt
If Cthere's a happy day, Lord, I Ghaven't seen one Cyet
[Chorus]
 CTake 'em away, Ftake 'em away, Lord
 CTake away these Gchains from me
 CMy heart is broken 'cause mFy spirit's not free
 CLord, take away these Gchains from Cme
[Verse 4]
CLand that I love is the Fland that I'm workin'
But it's Chard to love it all the time when your Gback is a-hurtin'
 CGettin' too old now to Fpush this here plow
 CPlease let me lay down so I caGn look at the Cclouds
[Chorus]
 CTake 'em away, Ftake 'em away, Lord
 CTake away these Gchains from me
 CMy heart is broken 'cause mFy spirit's not free
 CLord, take away these Gchains from Cme
[Instrumental]
F  C  G  C  F  C  G  C
[Verse 5]
CThe land that I know is where two Frivers collide
The CBrazos, the Navaso and the Gbig blue sky
CFlood plains, freight trains, Fwatermelon vines 
Of any Cplace on God’s green earth, this is Gwhere I choose to Cdie 
[Chorus]
 CTake 'em away, Ftake 'em away, Lord
 CTake away these Gchains from me
 CMy heart is broken 'cause mFy spirit's not free
 CLord, take away these Gchains from Cme
[Outro]
F  C  G  C  F  C  G  C

The story behind the song

Old Crow Medicine Show is an Americana string band known for their old-time, folk, and alternative country sound, often performing both original songs and pre-World War II blues and folk songs. This song, "Take Em Away," appeared on the release "Fresh Faces at Merle Fest 2004." The band was discovered while busking in 2000 and has since influenced other acts and contributed to a revival of banjo-picking string bands.

AI-written from these sources:Old Crow Medicine Show — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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Chord Book

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

Take Em Away

by Old Crow Medicine Show

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Capo on 2nd fret

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzIetXVKjf8

[Chorus]

C F

Take 'em away, take 'em away, Lord

C G

Take away these chains from me

C F

My heart is broken 'cause my spirit's not free

C G C

Lord, take away these chains from me

[Verse 1]

C F

Some bird feathers are too bright to be caged

C G

I know I'm not that colorful but a bird just the same

C F

Open up your gate now let me put down my load

C G C

So I can feel at ease and go back to my home

[Chorus]

C F

Take 'em away, take 'em away, Lord

C G

Take away these chains from me

C F

My heart is broken 'cause my spirit's not free

C G C

Lord, take away these chains from me

[Verse 2]

C F

Sun beatin' down my legs can't seem to stand

C G

There's a boss man at a turnrow with a rifle in his hand

C F

I've got nine children, nothin' in the pan

C G C

My wife she died hungry while I was plowin' land

[Chorus]

C F

Take 'em away, take 'em away, Lord

C G

Take away these chains from me

C F

My heart is broken 'cause my spirit's not free

C G C

Lord, take away these chains from me

[Instrumental]

F C G C F C G C

[Verse 3]

C F

Can't see when I go to work, can't see when I get off

C G

How do you expect a man not to get lost

C F

Every year I just keep getting deeper in debt

C G C

If there's a happy day, Lord, I haven't seen one yet

[Chorus]

C F

Take 'em away, take 'em away, Lord

C G

Take away these chains from me

C F

My heart is broken 'cause my spirit's not free

C G C

Lord, take away these chains from me

[Verse 4]

C F

Land that I love is the land that I'm workin'

C G

But it's hard to love it all the time when your back is a-hurtin'

C F

Gettin' too old now to push this here plow

C G C

Please let me lay down so I can look at the clouds

[Chorus]

C F

Take 'em away, take 'em away, Lord

C G

Take away these chains from me

C F

My heart is broken 'cause my spirit's not free

C G C

Lord, take away these chains from me

[Instrumental]

F C G C F C G C

[Verse 5]

C F

The land that I know is where two rivers collide

C G

The Brazos, the Navaso and the big blue sky

C F

Flood plains, freight trains, watermelon vines

C G C

Of any place on God’s green earth, this is where I choose to die

[Chorus]

C F

Take 'em away, take 'em away, Lord

C G

Take away these chains from me

C F

My heart is broken 'cause my spirit's not free

C G C

Lord, take away these chains from me

[Outro]

F C G C F C G C

About Take Em Away Chords by Old Crow Medicine Show

Learn how to play Take Em Away by Old Crow Medicine Show with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Take Em Away chords”, “Take Em Away guitar chords”, or “Old Crow Medicine Show Take Em Away 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 Take Em Away chords and for experienced players who want accurate Take Em Away lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C, F, G.

FAQ — Take Em Away by Old Crow Medicine Show

How do I play "Take Em Away" by Old Crow Medicine Show on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Take Em Away" by Old Crow Medicine Show 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 "Take Em Away" by Old Crow Medicine Show free?

Yes. The chords for "Take Em Away" by Old Crow Medicine Show are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Take Em Away" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Take Em Away"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Take Em Away" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Take Em Away" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Take Em Away" by Old Crow Medicine Show with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Old Crow Medicine Show below.

What key is "Take Em Away" in?

The chords for "Take Em Away" show the original chord names (including C, F, G). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.