Chords + Lyrics | Oh, Pretty Woman
Intro
| N.C | E7 (riff) | E7 (riff) | E7 (riff) |
||: E9 (riff) :|| x4
Chorus 1
| A | F#m |
Pretty woman, walkin’ down the street.
| A | F#m |
Pretty woman, the kind I like to meet.
|6/4 D |4/4 E | E |
Pretty woman, I don’t believe you, you’re not the truth.
| E | E |
No one could look as good as you.
||: E9 (riff) :|| x4
Mercy.
Chorus 2
Pretty woman, won’t you pardon me.
Pretty woman, I couldn’t help but see.
Pretty woman, that you look lovely as can be.
Are you lonely just like me?
Rrrowrr…
Verse
| Dm | G | C | Am |
Pretty woman stop awhile. Pretty woman, talk a while.
| Dm | G | C | C |
Pretty woman, give your smile to me.
| Dm | G | C | Am |
Pretty woman, yeah, yeah, yeah. Pretty woman look my way.
| Dm | G | C | A |
Pretty woman, say you’ll stay with me.
Bridge
| F#m | Dm | E |
‘Cause I need you, I’ll treat you right.
| A | F#m | Dm |
Come with me baby, be mine tonight.
||: E9 (riff) :|| x4
Chorus 3 (longer)
| A | F#m |
Pretty woman, don’t walk on by.
| A | F#m |
Pretty woman, don’t make me cry.
|6/4 D |4/4 E | E | E |
Pretty woman, don’t walk away, hey.
| E | E | E | E |
OK. If that’s the way it must be, OK.
| E | E | E | E |
I guess I’ll go on home, it’s late, there’ll be tomorrow night,
Outro
| N.C | N.C | E7 (riff) | E7 (riff) | E7 (riff) |
but wait, what do I see? Is she walkin’ back to me?
||: E9 (riff) :|| x8
Yeah, she’s walkin’ back to me. Oh, oh.
| E9 (riff) | A |
Pretty woman.
Pretty Woman Chords: Learn the progressions
Roy Orbison‘s Oh, Pretty Woman is built around a series of modal interchanges.
Intro
The intro initially feels like a blues riff in the key of E. However, because of what follows, we could argue that E functions as chord V.
Chorus
When the chorus begins, we move to the key of A (which is why E could be mistaken for chord V). The progression repeats I – VI, then shifts to IV – V with a 6/4 bar, like this:
||: A (I) | F#m (VI) :||
| 6/4 D (IV) |4/4 E (V) | E |
At first, A feels like chord IV, making F#m II. Only when D appears and E returns does E feel like a V chord and A the tonic. This creates a sense of disguised tonality.
All of this contributes to the tension in Oh, Pretty Woman’s chords.
The verse shifts to the key of C/Am, marking another modal interchange where A moves from Ionian to Aeolian—potentially even Lydian if we consider that initial E as chord I.
Verse
Here are the verse chords:
||: Dm (II) | G (V) | C (I) | Am (VI) |
| Dm | G | C |
| 1. C :|| 2. A (VIx) |
In the TAB lesson, we break down how to play the main riff—here’s a link: Oh, Pretty Woman – Guitar Lesson with TAB. Once you’ve learned the riff, use this chord chart to play along with Roy.
Oh, Pretty Woman Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Oh, Pretty Woman chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Oh, Pretty Woman iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
Roy Orbison’s Timeless Hit That Always Works
Oh, Pretty Woman is synonymous with Roy Orbison. Released in 1964, it was a worldwide hit, reaching #1 in ten countries and selling over two million copies.
Interestingly, the mono single featured different lyrics from the stereo album version, which went on to sell another seven million copies.
The song was revived in 1990 when it was featured in the Richard Gere and Julia Roberts classic Pretty Woman.
Before that, Van Halen covered and released it as a single in 1982, complete with an outrageous music video—you simply must check the playlist above!
The last time I heard it out of context was during Tyson Fury’s crossover fight with Francis Ngannou. Tyson walked out to Oh, Pretty Woman—a strange choice, perhaps, but when a song is this great, it just works.
If your band plays ’60s tunes, you simply must fit this classic into your set. Trust me, it will go down a storm.
Oh, Pretty Woman Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Oh, Pretty Woman (Roy Orbison) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
