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Sunday Morning Coming Down

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

Video lesson

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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

Chord progressions

See my PDF for the verse and chorus chord progression diagram.

Good luck!

Let me know if you have questions. I hope this was helpful.

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