How to Play “Pancho and Lefty” by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard on Guitar

SobiSeptember 7, 2023Last Updated: June 25, 2024

21 3 minutes read

“Pancho and Lefty” is a country song written by Townes Van Zandt and recorded by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard in 1983. The song tells the story of two outlaws, Pancho and Lefty, and their different fates. The song has a melancholic tone and a catchy melody.

If you want to learn how to play “Pancho and Lefty” on guitar, you will need to know some basic chords, strumming patterns, and how to play the intro riff. Here are some tips and resources to help you master this song.

Chords

The song is in the key of C major, and uses only four chords: C, G, F, and Am. You can play these chords with or without a capo, depending on your preference. Here are the chord diagrams for each chord:

[Intro]
 
e|--10---9--7---9--7--5--5----|--5--3--2--3--2--2------|
B|--10--10--8--10--8--5--5h7--|--7--5--3--5--3--2h3----|
G|----------------------------|------------------------| x2
D|----------------------------|------------------------|
A|----------------------------|------------------------|
E|----------------------------|------------------------|  h = hammer on
 
[Verse 1]
D
Livin' on the road, my friend
A
Was gonna keep you free and clean
G
And now you wear your skin like iron
D                            A
And your breath's as hard as kerosene
G
Weren't your mama's only boy
D                        G
But her favorite one, it seems
Bm                        G    D   A
She began to cry when you said goodbye
G                    Bm       A/C#*
(And) sank into your dreams
 
[Verse 2]
D
Pancho was a bandit, boys
A
His horse was fast as polished steel
G
He wore his gun outside his pants
D                  A
For all the honest world to feel
G
Well, Pancho met his match, you know
       D               G
On the deserts down in Mexico
Bm               G  D  A
Nobody heard his dyin' words
G                         Bm     A*
Ah, but that's the way it goes
 
[Chorus]
G
All the federales say
D                           G
They could have had him any day
Bm                G  D  A
They only let him slip away
       G              Bm     A/C#*
Out of kindness, I suppose
 
[Verse 3]
D
Lefty he can't sing the blues
A
All night long like he used to
G
The dust that Pancho bit down South
D              A
Ended up in Lefty's mouth
G
The day they laid poor Pancho low
D               G
Lefty split for Ohio
Bm               G    D   A
Where he got the bread to go
G                  Bm      A*
There ain't nobody knows
 
[Chorus]
G
All the federales say
D                       G
They could have had him any day
Bm              G  D  A
We only let him slip away
       G              Bm     A*
Out of kindness, I suppose
 
[Verse 4]
D
The poets tell how Pancho fell
A
And Lefty's livin' in a cheap hotel
G
The desert's quiet, and Cleveland's cold
D                A
And so the story ends, we're told
G
Pancho needs your prayers, it's true
D                  G
But save a few for Lefty, too
Bm                  G   D  A
He only did what he had to do
G                    Bm    A*
And now he's growin' old
 
[Chorus]
G
All the federales say
D                       G
They could have had him any day
Bm                G  D  A
They only let him go so long
       G              Bm     A/C#*
Out of kindness, I suppose
 
[Final Chorus]
G
A few gray federales say
D                       G
They could have had him any day
Bm                G  D  A
They only let him go so long
       G              Bm        Gmaj7  A D
Out of kindness, I suppose

Conclusion

“Pancho and Lefty” is a great song to learn on guitar, as it has a simple chord progression, a catchy strumming pattern, and a memorable intro riff. You can use the resources above to learn how to play this song, or you can check out some online tutorials or videos for more guidance. Have fun playing this song and remember to sing along!