How to Play Big Iron Chords on Guitar
Big Iron is a classic country song by Marty Robbins, released in 1959 as part of his album Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs. The song tells the story of a duel between a Texas ranger and an outlaw named Texas Red in the town of Agua Fria. The song has been covered by many artists, including Johnny Cash, Mike Ness, and The White Buffalo.
If you want to learn how to play Big Iron on guitar, you will need to know some basic chords, strumming patterns, and capo positions. Here are some tips and resources to help you master this song.
Chords
The original version of Big Iron by Marty Robbins uses the following chords: C#m, G#, E, A, B, and F#. These are all barre chords, which means you have to press down multiple strings with your index finger across the fretboard. Barre chords can be challenging for beginners, but they are essential for playing many songs.
[Intro] Am E Am [Verse 1] C Am To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day C Am Hardly spoke to folks around him, didn't have too much to say F C No one dared to ask his business, no one dared to make a slip Am for the stranger there amongst them had a big iron on his hip F C Big iron on his hip [Verse 2] C Am It was early in the morning when he rode into the town C Am He came ridin' from the south side slowly lookin' all around F C He's an outlaw loose and runnin' came the whisper from each lip Am And he's here to do some business with the big iron on his hip F C big iron on his hip [Verse 3] C Am In this town there lived an outlaw by the name of Texas Red C Am Many men had tried to take him and that many men were dead F C He was vicious and a killer though a youth of twenty four Am And the notches on his pistol numbered one and nineteen more F C One and nineteen more [Verse 4] C Am Now the stranger started talking, made it plain to folks around C Am Was an Arizona ranger, wouldn't be too long in town F C He came here to take an outlaw back alive or maybe dead Am And he said it didn't matter, he was after Texas Red F C After Texas Red [Verse 5] C Am Wasn't long before the story was relayed to Texas Red C Am But the outlaw didn't worry, men that tried before were dead F C Twenty men had tried to take him, twenty men had made a slip Am Twenty one would be the ranger with the big iron on his hip F C Big iron on his hip [Verse 6] C Am The morning passed so quickly, it was time for them to meet C Am It was twenty past eleven when they walked out in the street F C Folks were watching from their windows, everybody held their breath Am They knew this handsome ranger was about to meet his death F C About to meet his death [Verse 7] C Am There was forty feet between them when they stopped to make their play C Am And the swiftness of the ranger is still talked about today F C Texas Red had not cleared leather 'fore a bullet fairly ripped Am And the ranger's aim was deadly with the big iron on his hip F C Big iron on his hip [Verse 8] C Am It was over in a moment and the folks had gathered round C Am There before them lay the body of the outlaw on the ground F C Oh, he might have gone on living but he made one fatal slip Am When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip F C Big iron on his hip [Outro] F C Big iron, big iron C Am When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip F C Big iron on his hi
Strumming
The strumming pattern for Big Iron is fairly simple and consistent throughout the song. You can use a basic down-up-down-up pattern for each chord, or add some variations to make it more interesting.
One variation is to accent the first and third beats of each measure by strumming harder or louder. This creates a more rhythmic and dynamic sound. Another variation is to add some palm muting or percussive strums on the second and fourth beats. This creates a more muted and groovy sound.
You can also mix up the strumming pattern depending on the mood and intensity of the song. For example, you can strum faster and louder during the chorus and slower and softer during the verses. You can also add some pauses or stops to create tension and drama.
The most important thing is to keep your strumming hand moving in a steady motion and follow the tempo and rhythm of the song. You can practice along with the original recording or use a metronome to help you stay in time.
Conclusion
Big Iron is a great song to learn on guitar if you like country music and storytelling. It has a catchy melody, a memorable story, and some easy chords that you can play with or without a capo. By following these tips and resources, you can learn how to play Big Iron on guitar and impress your friends and family with your skills. Happy playing!
