The former Led Zeppelin lead singer had released the single earlier with Jimmy Page in 1998, and after reworking the song for the Raising Sand album, the duo of Plant and Krauss have produced a song that is great for beginner guitarists.

The chord progression that is listed below is for the radio and video version of Read The Letter, you can add the other verse from the album if are going to be playing and singing by following the same chord structure.

As with most new songs that you learn, you should play along with the video or CD on your guitar to get a feel of the verses and choruses. Once you know the basic riffs you can improvise a little to add your own texture and flavor to the song.

This really is a basic song and uses some of the most used open chords in standard tuning – Amajor, Emajor and Dmajor, and these are the building blocks of songwriting and guitar playing.

Intro

{A} {E} {A} {E}

{A}Caught out running with just a {E}little too much to hide
{A}Maybe baby every-{E}-thing’s going to turn out fine
{D}Please read the {A}letter I {E}nailed it to your door
It’s {D}crazy how it {A}all turned out we {E}needed so much more

{A} {E}

{A}Once I put beside you a {E}well of many words
{A}My house was full of rings and {E}charms and pretty birds
{D}Please under-{A}-stand me my {E}walls came falling down
There’s{D}nothing here that’s {A}left for you but {E}check with lost and found

{B}Ahhhhhhhhhhhh {A}- {B}Ahhhhhhhhhhhh
{B}Ahhhhhhhhhhhh {A}- {B}Ahhhhhhhhhhhh

{E}Please read the {A}letter that I {E}wrote {A}
{E}Please read the {A}letter that I {E} wrote {A}
{E}Please read the {A}letter that I {E}wrote {A}

instrumental Verse

{A } {E} {A} {E} - {D} {A} {E} {D} {A} {E}

{A}One more song {E}just before we go
{A}Remember baby your gonna {E}reap just what you sow
{D}Please read my {A}letter and {E}promise me you’ll keep
{D}The secrets and the {A} memories that we {E} cherish in the deep
{D}Please read the {A}letter I {E}nailed it to your door
It’s {D}crazy how it {A}all turned out we {E}needed so much more

{E}Please read the {A}letter that I {E} wrote {A}
{E}Please read the {A}letter that I {E} wrote {A}
{E}Please read the {A}letter that I {E} wrote {A}
{E}Please read the {A}letter that I {E} wrote {A}

END

In fact when you think about it, when you are using a barre chord, you are actually using your forefinger as a capo, and then forming the open chord structure with you other three fingers.

Put the capo on other frets and play the chords you know, check out the different sounds and you may find yourself wroting your own songs in the way Billy did using a capo.

Billy Currington – People Are Crazy (Capo 5th)

Intro:  (C)   (G) 

(C)                 (G)
This old man and me, were at the bar and we
(Am)                         (F)
Were having us some beers and swapping I don’t cares.
(C)              (G)
Talking politics, blond and redhead chicks.
(Am)                       (F)
Old dogs and new tricks and habits we ain’t kicked.

(C)                        (G)
We talked about God’s grace and all the hell we raised.
(Am)                     (F)
Then I heard the ole’ man say
(C)                  (G)                 (C)  (G)
God is great, beer is good and people are crazy.

(C)
He said “I fought two wars,
(G)
Been married and divorced.”
(Am)
What brings you to Ohio?
(F)
He said “Damned if I know.”
(C)                     (G)
We talked an hour or two about every girl we knew.
(Am)
What all we put ‘em through.
(F)
Like two ole’ boys will do.

(C)
We pondered life and death
(G)
He lit a cigarette
(Am)                                    (F)
And said “These damn things will kill me yet.”
(C)                      (G)                 (C)
But God is great, beer is good and people are crazy.

Bridge:

(F)                  (Em) 
Last call, its 2am, I said goodbye to him
(Dm)                 (G)
I never talked to him again

(C)                (G) 
Then one sunny day, I saw the old mans face
(Am)                (F)
Front page Obituary, he was a millionaire.
(C)                   (G)
He left his fortune to some guy he barely knew,
(Am)                          (F)  
His kids were mad as hell. But me? I’m doing well.
(C)                    (G)
And I dropped by today, to just say thanks and pray,
(Am)                       (F)  
And I left a six-pack right there on his grave and I said 

(C)                  (G)                 (C)   (F) 
God is great, beer is good and people are crazy.

(C)                  (G)                 (Am)  (F)
God is great, beer is good and people are crazy.

(C)                  (G)                 (C)
God is great, beer is good and people are crazy.

Outro: (C)   (G)

Bob Dylan just told a story and you could see his connection to the words and music that came together, of course you want to write original chords, but performing songs that you actually like will always come thru. Never shy away from the simple guitar songs,  just be the natural you and you maybe surprised how many people will enjoy what you are playing, cover bands will play what public wants to hear, and those that don’t will end up not getting many gigs, but always play what you enjoy to listen to yourself and your guitar playing will improve as youll want to keep learning.

That is why I picked this Taylor Swift guitar tab of White Horse, Taylor is extremely popular and this is a great beginner guitar song that will be enjoyed by a wide variety of music fans………….

Tabbed by: Krista
Email: leavethepieces@gmail.com

Tuning: Standard

   C   F   Am  G   G   G  Bb  G* Gsus4
e|-3—3—3—3—3—3—1—3—3-|
B|-1—1—1—0—1—3—3—3—3-|
G|-0—2—2—0—0—0—3—4—5-|
D|-2—3—2—0—0—0—3—5—5-|
A|-3—x—0—2—2—2—1—5—5-|
E|-x—x—x—3—3—3—1—3—3-|

*NOTE*
The chords aren’t really C F Am,
But that’s what I’m calling them to make it easier.
Just look at the charts to see how to play them.
(I think they’re Fmaj7, Am7, and I’m not sure about C)
Also, I hear G played a few ways in the song,
So play whichever sounds good to you!

(Seriously guys, my tab was switched with a different tab for a while,
I have NO idea how it happened! I did NOT write out just the chorus,
this is my tab, the whole song!)

C F Am F x2

C
Say you’re sorry
       F
That face of an angel
       Am                          F
Comes out just when you need it to
C                     F
As I paced back and forth all this time
          Am                 F
Cause I honestly believed in you
Am
Holding on
      F
The days drag on
         Gsus4 (or 320013)
Stupid girl,
                                    G* (or 320003)
I should have known, I should have known

            C                        Am
I’m not a princess, this ain’t a fairytale
            F
I’m not the one you’ll sweep off her feet,
G
Lead her up the stairwell
           C                     Am
This ain’t Hollywood, this is a small town,
          F                         G
I was a dreamer before you went and let me down
         Am            G
Now it’s too late for you
           F                    C C
And your white horse, to come around

C
Baby I was naive,
F
Got lost in your eyes
     Am                       F
And never really had a chance
C                    F    
My mistake I didn’t know to be in love
            Am                          F
You had to fight to have the upper hand
       Am
I had so many dreams
       F
About you and me
       G
Happy endings, now I know

            C                        Am
I’m not a princess, this ain’t a fairytale
            F
I’m not the one you’ll sweep off her feet,
G
Lead her up the stairwell
           C                     Am
This ain’t Hollywood, this is a small town,
          F                         G
I was a dreamer before you went and let me down
         Am            G
Now it’s too late for you
           F                    C    
And your white horse, to come around

C             Am          F                 G  

Am             G          F
And there you are on your knees,
C               G        F
Begging for forgiveness, begging for me
C            G            F             Bb
Just like I always wanted but I’m sooo sorry

                     C                        Am
Cause I’m not your princess, this ain’t a fairytale
           F                             G
I’m gonna find someone someday who might actually treat me well
          C                       Am
This is a big world, that was a small town
            F                    G
There in my rearview mirror disappearing now
        Am           G              F
And its too late for you and your white horse
        Am           G              F                     C  
Now its too late for you and your white horse, to catch me now

F      Am
Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa
F                 C
Try and catch me now
  F Am
Oh, it’s too late
F            C
To catch me now
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