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

Matthew

Chords

4.9265 votes

Listen

YouTubeYouTube SpotifySpotify AppleApple Music

Font15

KeyOriginal

Chords

Scroll

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

GHad an uncle named AmMatthew
D7Was his father's only Gboy
GBorn just south of Colby, AmKansas
D7Was his mother's pride and Gjoy
GYes, and joy was just the Cthing that he was Amraised on
D7Love was just the way to live and Gdie
GGold was just a Cwindy Kansas Amwheatfield
D7Blue was just a Kansas summer Gsky
GAll the stories that he Amtold me
D7Back when I was just a Glad
GAll the memories that he Amgave me
D7All the good times that he Ghad
GGrowin up a Kansas Amfarmboy
D7Life was mostly havin Gfun
GRidin' on his daddy's Amshoulders
D7Behind a mule beneath the Gsun
GYes, and joy was just the Cthing that he was Amraised on
D7Love was just the way to live and Gdie
GGold was just a Cwindy Kansas Amwheatfield
D7Blue was just a Kansas summer Gsky
GWell, I guess there were some Amhard times
D7And I'm told some years were Glean
GThey had a storm in Am'47
D7A twister came and stripped them Gclean
GHe lost the farm and lost his Amfamily
D7He lost the wheat and lost his Ghome
GBut he found a family Ambible
D7Faith as solid as a Gstone
GYes, and joy was just the Cthing that he was Amraised on
D7Love was just the way to live and Gdie
GGold was just a Cwindy Kansas Amwheatfield
D7Blue was just a Kansas summer Gsky
GSo he came to live at our Amhouse
D7And he came to work the Gland
GHe came to ease my daddy's Amburden
D7And he came to be my Gfriend
GSo, I wrote this down for AmMatthew
D7And it's for him the song is Gsung
GRidin' on his daddy's Amshoulders
D7Behind a mule beneath the Gsun
GYes, and joy was just the Cthing that he was Amraised on
D7Love was just the way to live and Gdie
GGold was just a Cwindy Kansas Amwheatfield
D7Blue was just a Kansas summer Gsky
GYes, and joy was just the Cthing that he was Amraised on
D7Love was just the way to live and Gdie
GGold was just a Cwindy Kansas Amwheatfield
D7Blue was just a Kansas summer Gsky

The story behind the song

John Denver was an American country and folk singer, songwriter, and actor, and one of the most popular acoustic artists of the 1970s. He recorded and performed primarily with an acoustic guitar and sang about his joy in nature, enthusiasm for music, and relationships. "Matthew" was released in 1975.

AI-written from these sources:An Evening with John Denver — Wikipedia ↗John Denver — Wikipedia ↗

🎸 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

Matthew

by John Denver

Lyrics & chords · Original key

G Am

Had an uncle named Matthew

D7 G

Was his father's only boy

G Am

Born just south of Colby, Kansas

D7 G

Was his mother's pride and joy

G C Am

Yes, and joy was just the thing that he was raised on

D7 G

Love was just the way to live and die

G C Am

Gold was just a windy Kansas wheatfield

D7 G

Blue was just a Kansas summer sky

G Am

All the stories that he told me

D7 G

Back when I was just a lad

G Am

All the memories that he gave me

D7 G

All the good times that he had

G Am

Growin up a Kansas farmboy

D7 G

Life was mostly havin fun

G Am

Ridin' on his daddy's shoulders

D7 G

Behind a mule beneath the sun

G C Am

Yes, and joy was just the thing that he was raised on

D7 G

Love was just the way to live and die

G C Am

Gold was just a windy Kansas wheatfield

D7 G

Blue was just a Kansas summer sky

G Am

Well, I guess there were some hard times

D7 G

And I'm told some years were lean

G Am

They had a storm in '47

D7 G

A twister came and stripped them clean

G Am

He lost the farm and lost his family

D7 G

He lost the wheat and lost his home

G Am

But he found a family bible

D7 G

Faith as solid as a stone

G C Am

Yes, and joy was just the thing that he was raised on

D7 G

Love was just the way to live and die

G C Am

Gold was just a windy Kansas wheatfield

D7 G

Blue was just a Kansas summer sky

G Am

So he came to live at our house

D7 G

And he came to work the land

G Am

He came to ease my daddy's burden

D7 G

And he came to be my friend

G Am

So, I wrote this down for Matthew

D7 G

And it's for him the song is sung

G Am

Ridin' on his daddy's shoulders

D7 G

Behind a mule beneath the sun

G C Am

Yes, and joy was just the thing that he was raised on

D7 G

Love was just the way to live and die

G C Am

Gold was just a windy Kansas wheatfield

D7 G

Blue was just a Kansas summer sky

G C Am

Yes, and joy was just the thing that he was raised on

D7 G

Love was just the way to live and die

G C Am

Gold was just a windy Kansas wheatfield

D7 G

Blue was just a Kansas summer sky

About Matthew Chords by John Denver

Learn how to play Matthew by John Denver with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Matthew chords”, “Matthew guitar chords”, or “John Denver Matthew 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 Matthew chords and for experienced players who want accurate Matthew lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, Am, D7, C, A.

FAQ — Matthew by John Denver

How do I play "Matthew" by John Denver on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Matthew" by John Denver 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 "Matthew" by John Denver free?

Yes. The chords for "Matthew" by John Denver are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Matthew" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Matthew"?

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

Is "Matthew" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Matthew" by John Denver with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by John Denver below.

What key is "Matthew" in?

The chords for "Matthew" show the original chord names (including G, Am, D7, C, A). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.