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I'm a Lonesome Fugitive

by Billy Strings • Lesson #280 • Jan 11, 2020

Video lesson

My lesson is coming soon. Here’s the version I’ll be learning:

And here’s an amazing lesson by Marcel showing the lead guitar parts:

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Lyrics w/ chords

INTRO (played with lead riff)

      | G   | C   | D   | D   |
      | C   | D   | G   | G   |

CHORUS
                 G              C                   D
            I'd like to settle down but they won't let me
               C                           D        (walk down)
            A fugitive must be a rolling stone
                 G                  C                D
            Down every road there's always one more city
                C                D             G
            I'm on the run, the highway is my home

VERSE
             G              C               D              D
    Well, I raised a lot of Cain back in my younger days
             C            C                      D     (walk down)         
    While my Mama used to pray those crops would fail
        G                  C                D              D  
    Now I'm... a lonesome fugitive... with just two ways
        C             C                 D       D  (cool riff to end verse)                         
    Outrun the law or spend my life in jail

            I'd [G] like to settle [C] down but they won't [D] let me   [D]
            A [C] fugitive must [C] be a rolling [D] stone [D]
            Down [G] every road there's [C] always one more [D] city [D]
            I'm [C] on the run, the [D] highway, it's my [C] home [G]

INSTRUMENTAL BREAK (played 2x, with solo)
      | G   | C   | D   | D   |
      | C   | D   | G   | G   |

         G                   C                             D        D
    I'd like... to take you with me, but can't afford the luxury
        C           C                 D      D   (walk down)                      
    Of having one I love... to come along
                G                C                   D            D    
    Lord, you'd only... slow me down... they'd catch up with me
        C              C              D            D                
    For he who travels fastest goes alone

            I'd [G] like to settle [C] down but they won't [D] let me   [D]
            A [C] fugitive must [C] be a rolling [D] stone [D]
            Down [G] every road there's [C] always one more [D] city [D]
            I'm [C] on the run, the [D] highway, it's my [G] home [G]

INSTRUMENTAL BREAK (played multiple times, with solos)
      | G   | C   | D   | D   |
      | C   | D   | G   | G   |

FINAL CHORUS
            [ Played quieter... ]
            I'd [G] like to settle [C] down but they won't [D] let me   [D]
            A [C] fugitive must [C] be a rolling [D] stone [D]

            [ Played at normal volume... ]
            Down [G] every road there's [C] always one more [D] city [D]
            I'm [C] on the run, the [D] highway, it's my [G] home [G]

            [ Played quieter, let chords ring ]
            I'm [C] on the run, the [D] highway, it's my [G] home [G]

Chord progressions

Intro & instrumental breaks

During the instrumental breaks (played with solos), they repeat this same progression many times.

G C D D
C D G G

Chorus:

Note, only in the 2nd chorus, the second-to-last chord is a “C” before resolving to the final “G”.

"I'd like to settle down but they won't let me..."

G C D D
C C D D
G C D D
C D G G

Verse

"Well, I raised a lot of Cain back in my younger days..."

G C D D
C C D D
G C D D
C C D D

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