LEARN

TO PL AY

OPEN-MIC SONGBOOK
LIL NAS X
OLD TOWN ROAD
Grab your cowboy hat and capo then
get ready to ride the Old Town Road
with TG’s easy strummer lesson

T
his huge hit for rapper You’ll need just four simple open
Lil Nas X was released late in chord shapes to play Old Town Road, so
2018. Columbia records quickly you can easily add it to your open-mic
noticed the huge interest it was repertoire. The recording features banjo
generating and jumped on the song, samples taken from Nine Inch Nails’
re-releasing both the original version 2008 track 34 Ghosts IV. So, with no
and a remix featuring country guitar, our tab is an arrangement
superstar Billy Ray Cyrus in the spring based on the sounds you can hear
of 2019. The song spent 17 weeks at from the sample and played in live
88 the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart performances. You’ll need to use a capo
and also topped the charts in the UK, on the 4th fret to play along with our
and has scooped up a multitude of backing track, but this makes it easy
awards worldwide. to change the key later if you wish.

CHORDS
T
hough not on the original recording, Billy Ray Cyrus has been seen
jamming out these chords on acoustic guitar in live shows. If you’re
singing along solo, simply move the capo higher or lower to suit
your pitch. The capo makes for some complicated chord names, but
don’t worry about that! All the shapes are easy to play and we’re sticking
with the un-capo’d names in the song sheet so you won’t get confused.
Finally, position your thumb around the back of the neck to keep the
sixth string muted out.

O O O O O X X O X O O
OLD TOWN ROAD
CAPO – 4th fret Words and Music by Trent Reznor, Billy Ray
CAPO – 4th fret CAPO – 4th fret CAPO – 4th fret Cyrus, Jocelyn Donald, Atticus Ross, Kiowa
Roukema and Montero Lamar Hill
Copyright © 2019 Form And Texture, Inc.,
1 Sunnageronimo Publishing Inc., Songs By MPA,
Songs Of Universal, Inc., Songs In The Key
Of Mink and Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
All Rights for Form And Texture, Inc.,
2 3 1 1 2
Guitars and backing: Phil Capone Photo: Getty Images

Sunnageronimo Publishing Inc. and Songs By

MPA Administered Worldwide by
Kobalt Songs Music Publishing
2 3 4 3 2 3 4 All Rights for Songs In The Key Of Mink
Administered by Songs Of Universal, Inc.
All Rights for Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing
LLC, 424 Church Street,
Suite 1200, Nashville, TN 37219
Ab B Gb Esus2 All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission
- Incorporates the song “34 Ghosts IV” (Words
(E) (G) (D) (Csus2) and Music by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor)

TOTAL GUITAR APRIL 2020

 BACKING TRACK (TRACK 44)
This song comes with a backing track (minus guitar) on
your CD. Simply insert the disc in your player, press play
and jam along, guitaraoke style!
LIL NAS X / OLD TOWN ROAD

SONG SHEET

Chorus Pre-chorus Repeat pre-chorus

Ab B Ab B & chorus
Yeah, I’m gonna take my horse to the old town road Can’t nobody tell me nothin’
Gb Esus2 Gb Esus2
I’m gonna ride ’til I can’t no more You can’t tell me nothin’ Bridge
Ab B Ab B Ab B
I’m gonna take my horse to the old town road Can’t nobody tell me nothin’ Hat down, cross town, livin’ like a rockstar
Gb Esus2 Gb Esus2 Gb Esus2
I’m gonna ride ’til I can’t no more You can’t tell me nothin’ Spend a lot of money on my brand new guitar
Ab
Baby’s got a habit
Verse 1 Verse 2 B
Ab Ab Diamond rings and Fendi sports bras
I got the horses in the back Ridin’ on a tractor Gb Esus2
B B Ridin’ down Rodeo in my Maserati sports car
Horse tack is attached Lean all in my bladder Ab B
Gb Gb Got no stress, I’ve been through all that
Hat is matte black Cheated on my baby Gb Esus2
Esus2 Esus2 I’m like a Marlboro Man so I kick on back
Got the boots that’s black to match You can go and ask her Ab B
Ab Ab Wish I could roll on back to that old town road
Ridin’ on a horse, ha My life is a movie Gb Esus2
B B I wanna ride ’til I can’t no more
You can whip your Porsche Bull ridin’ and boobies 899
Gb Gb
I been in the valley Cowboy hat from Gucci Repeat chorus
Esus2 Esus2
You ain’t been up off that porch, now Wrangler on my booty

LIL NAS X OLD TOWN ROAD Intro TRACK 44

q =135 (half time feel)
N.C.
Capo 4th fret

.. ..
b
T . .
B
. 1 1 2 2 2
0
2
0
2
3
2
3
.
0 0 3 3

These diads should be played with a ‘pinch’. That means picking down with your thumb and up with a finger – i.e., pinching the strings. Simple! Alternatively, use a pick for the
low note with a free finger playing the higher note – a technique known as hybrid picking. It can be tricky, but it’s handy when you want to switch from picking to strumming.

LIL NAS X OLD TOWN ROAD Chorus TRACK 44

Ab Cb Gb F b sus 2
(E) ( G) (D) ( Csus 2 )

.. bb bb bb ..

T . 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3 .
B
. 1
2
2
1
2
2
1
2
2
1
2
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
0
0
3
0
0
3
0
0
3
0
0
3
.
0 0 0 0 3 3 3 3

These easy chords should pose no problems – just remember to use a capo at the 4th fret to play at the same pitch as the record. Use gentle downstrokes to recreate the
steady pace of the original track and build up to more complicated strumming if you like. Some of the live performances are pretty epic!

APRIL 2020 TOTAL GUITAR