Sunday Morning Coming Down

by Johnny Cash • Lesson #98 • Sep 7, 2017

Video lesson

Licensed Song Sheet 3 pages

Follow along with my print-friendly guide for this song! It’s available for purchase at Musicnotes.com, the web’s leading provider of licensed sheet music.

On the fence? Here's a guide I made showing the purchase & print process, including answers to common questions about my song sheets.

Buy at Musicnotes.com

Editor’s notes

In this lesson, I’ll teach you how to play the song “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” a with chords and strumming pattern included. This is a Kris Kristofferson song, covered by many folks (including Johnny Cash). This lesson features a no-capo version with a few different ways to approach strumming (easy strumming and alternating bass notes). Watch and enjoy!

Video timestamps:

2:36 Chords needed
3:55 Strumming pattern (easy)
5:32 Playthrough (with easy strum)
7:18 Walk-down transition riffs
11:40 Strumming pattern (advanced)

Capo notes

To play along with Kris Kristofferson’s version, use a capo on the 2nd fret. To play along with Johnny Cash’s version, use a capo on the 1st fret. In my video lesson, I don’t use a capo. It’s up to you!

Lyrics w/ chords

Key of G, 156 BPM.

See sheet music for the lyrics with chords.

Chords needed

E ––––3–––––0–––––0–––––2–––––
B ––––0–––––0–––––1–––––3–––––
G ––––0–––––0–––––0–––––2–––––
D ––––0–––––2–––––2–––––0–––––
A ––––2–––––2–––––3–––––––––––
E ––––3–––––0–––––––––––––––––
      G     Em    C     D

Walkdown riffs

From G to E-minor:

E ||––––––3––––––––3–––––––––0–––––
B ||––––––3––––––––3–––––––––0–––––
G ||––––––0––––––––0–––––––––0–––––
D ||––––––0––––––––0–––––––––2–––––
A ||––––––2––––––––x–––––––––2–––––
E ||–––3––3–––––2––2––––––0––0–––––
          G       G/F#       Em

From D to G:

E ||––––––2–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3––––
B ||––––––3–––––––3––––––––3––––––––3–––––––3––––
G ||––––––2–––––––2––––––––2––––––––2–––––––0––––
D ||–––0––0–––––––0––––––––0––––––––0–––––––0––––
A ||–––––––––––3––3–––––2––2–––––0––0–––––––2––––
E ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3––3––––
          D     D/C      D/B      D/A       G

Strumming with alternating bass notes

E ||–––––3–3–––––3–3––––3–3–––––3–3––––
B ||–––––3–3–––––3–3––––3–3–––––3–3––––
G ||–––––0–0–––––0–0––––0–0–––––0–0––––
D ||–––––0–0–––––0–0––––0–0–––––0–0––––
A ||––––––––––2––––––––––––––2–––––––––
E ||–––3––––––––––––––3––––––––––––––––
       G

E ||–––––0–0–––––0–0––––0–0–––––0–0––––
B ||–––––1–1–––––1–1––––1–1–––––1–1––––
G ||–––––0–0–––––0–0––––0–0–––––0–0––––
D ||––––––––––2––––––––––––––2–––––––––
A ||–––3––––––––––––––3––––––––––––––––
E ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
       C

E ||–––––2–2–––––2–2–––––2–2–––––2–2–––
B ||–––––3–3–––––3–3–––––3–3–––––3–3–––
G ||–––––2–2–––––2–2–––––2–2–––––2–2–––
D ||–––0–––––––––––––––0–––––––––––––––
A ||––––––––––0–––––––––––––––0––––––––
E ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
       D

E ||–––––0–0–––––0–0––––0–0–––––0–0––––
B ||–––––0–0–––––0–0––––0–0–––––0–0––––
G ||–––––0–0–––––0–0––––0–0–––––0–0––––
D ||–––––2–2–––––2–2––––2–2–––––2–2––––
A ||––––––––––2––––––––––––––2–––––––––
E ||–––0––––––––––––––2––––––––––––––––
       Em

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Sunday Morning Coming Down

Video lesson

Licensed Song Sheet 3 pages

Editor’s notes

Capo notes

Lyrics w/ chords

Chords needed

Walkdown riffs

Strumming with alternating bass notes

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Browse Related Lessons

Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!

Looking for More Song Lessons?

Featured Courses

Strumming & Rhythm

Fingerstyle & Travis Picking

Blues Starter Kit

Reading Music for Guitarists

Learning Lead Guitar

Beginner Chord Guide

Practical Music Theory

Using a Capo

Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

Fret Monster

Capo Captain

Key Master

Blank Tabs

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Recent Lessons