Down in the Valley - guitar tab, notes, chords and lyrics
“Down in the Valley” is a traditional American folk song. The origin of the melody is uncertain, but it was first published with lyrics in 1905 and the first recording was made in 1927 by the country music duo Darby and Tarlton. More about the historical background of the song can be found at Balladofamerica.org.
The music transcriptions of the song with tabs and notes are available for download as PDFs. It's free for personal use only.
Melody & full accompaniment
Free tabs and notes plus sound.
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Down in the Valley guitar tab and notes (pdf)
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Down in the Valley instrumental guitar (mp3)
Down in the Valley (full accompaniment)
"Down in the Valley" for guitar with full accompaniment. Free download in pdf-file and audio.
Down in the Valley guitar accompaniment
Down in the Valley (only melody)
“Down in the Valley” standard and tablature notation for guitar presented as an image.
Tips on how to learn this song
The “Down in the Valley” version above contains 12 measures and relatively few notes. The arched lines indicating that the tone should be hold out (don't play the tones in parentheses). The melody of the song is quite easy to memorize: it only involves four strings and four frets besides being repeatable in some cases.
Lyrics and chords
Down in the Valley chords in the key of G
Verse 1:
Down in the (G)valley, valley so (D7)low
Hang your head over hear the wind (G)blow
Hear the wind blow, dear hear the wind (D)blow
Hang your head over hear the wind (G)blow.
Verse 2:
Roses love (G)sunshine violets love (D7)dew
Angels in heaven know I love (G)you
Know I love you dear know I love (D)you
Angels in heaven know I love (G)you.
Verse 3:
If you don’t love me love whom you please
Throw your arms ’round me give my heart ease
Give my heart ease love give my heart ease
Throw your arms round me give my heart ease.
Verse 4:
Build me a castle forty feet high
So I can see him as he rides by
As he rides by love as he rides by
So I can see him as he rides by.
The lyrics above presents a shortened version of the song (notice that alternative lyrics of the song exists). There are also more verses in the full song than presented here. Concerning the progression, notice that the song is played with only three chords and only the I and V chord.
There are possibilities to change to key by using a capo. These are the keys that the song would transpose in depending on which fret the capo is put:
- Capo 1: G# / Ab major
- Capo 2: A major
- Capo 3: A# / Bb major
- Capo 4: B major
- Capo 5: C major
Key, time, tuning and tempo
Information about "Down in the Valley" considering musical key, time signature, tuning and bpm.
Key
The presented version of Down in the Valley is played in the key of G.
Time signature
The song is played in 3/4 tempo (counted one, two, three for each measure).
Tuning
The song is normally played in standard tuning (EADGBE).
Tempo (BPM)
The tempo in beats per minute is 120 for the presented version.