Chords + Lyrics | Son Of A Preacher Man
Intro
| N.C Em | E | Esus4 E Em | E | Esus4 E |
Verse 1
| E E6 | A E E6 |
Billy Ray was a preacher’s son and when his daddy would visit he’d come along.
| E E6 | B B6 |
When they gathered around and started talkin’, that’s when Billy would take me walkin’,
| B7 B6 | B7 B6 | B7 |
out through the back yard, we’d go walkin’, then he’d look into my eyes, Lord knows to my surprise.
Chorus 1
| E E6 | A E E6 |
Well, the only one who could ever reach me, was the son of a preacher man.
| E E6 | A E E6 |
The only one who could ever teach me, was the son of a preacher man.
| E B | A A6 |
Yes, he was, yes he was, oh, yes he was.
Instrumental
| (Em) E | E Esus4 E |
Verse 2
| E | A E E6 |
Bein’ good isn’t always easy, no matter how hard I try (oh-oh).
| E E6 | B B6 |
When he started sweet-talkin’ to me, he’d come and tell me “Everything is all right” (oh-oh).
| B7 B6 | B7 |
He’d kiss and tell me “Everything is all right” (oh-oh), can I get away again tonight?
Chorus 2
Well, the only one who could ever reach me, was the son of a preacher man.
The only one who could ever teach me, was the son of a preacher man.
Yes, he was, yes he was, oh, yes he was.
Middle 8
| D (Db)| D (Ab) | A A6 A (Ab) | A A6 A (Bb) |
How well I remember, the look that was in his eyes, stealin’ kisses from me on the sly.
| B B7 B6 (Bb) | B B7 B6 (Eb) |
Takin’ time to make time, tellin’ me that he’s all mine.
| E (Eb) | E E7 |
Learnin’ from each other’s knowin’, lookin’ to see how much we’ve grown and.
Chorus 3
| A A7 A6 A | D A A6 |
The only one boy could ever reach me, was a son of a preacher man.
| A A7 A6 A | D A A6 |
The only one who could ever teach me, was a son of a preacher man.
| A E | D D6 |
Yes he was, he was, ooh yes he was.
Outro
||: A A6 A | D A A6 :|| repeat to fade
(The only one who could ever reach me, was a son of a preacher man) Was son of a preacher man.
(The only boy who could ever teach me, was a son of a preacher man) Oh it was, was a son of a preacher man.
(The only one who could ever woo me, was a son of a preacher man) Oh, yeah, was son of a preacher man.
(The only one who could ever woo me, was a son of a preacher man) Ah, he was the son of a preacher man.
(The only one who could ever reach me, was a son of a preacher man). Oh yes, he was now, oh he was yeah.
Son Of A Preacher Man Backing Track | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find a full-band studio backing track—with no guitar—so you can add your own part. Use it alongside the chord chart to practise each section in detail.
In the course, we loop each section individually so you can dial in your sound and fine-tune your part using Son of a Preacher Man’s distinctive chord changes.
Chord Progression – What’s Going On?
Verse
The verse centres around a I–IV progression, but with added colour from the E6 chord. The 6th (C#) also implies the 3rd of the A chord, creating a seamless shift:
| E (I) E6 | A (IV) E E6 |
| E E6 | B (V) B6 |
| B7 B6 | B7 B6 | B7 |
The first verse has four bars of B, while verse two trims it down to three—watch for the change.
Chorus
The chorus mirrors the verse with a slight variation at the end:
||: E (I) E6 | A (IV) E E6 :||
| E B (V) | A A6 |
To get TAB and step-by-step video lessons showing exactly how to play Son Of A Preacher Man’s chords, check out the full lesson series here: Son Of A Preacher Man — Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Re-intro
The re–intro resembles the intro but is shorter—only two bars instead of four. You’ll need the TAB for accuracy, but here’s the structure:
| (Em) E | E Esus4 E |
In the course, we use play-along TAB loops to master each section like this.
Middle 8
After another verse and chorus, we hit a middle 8 that modulates to A major. It starts on IV, not I:
| D (Db) | D (Ab) | A A6 A (Ab) | A A6 A (Bb) |
| B B7 B6 (Bb) | B B7 B6 (Eb) |
| E (Eb) | E E7 |
In this key, D is IV, A is I, B is IIx, and E is V.
Chorus (key of A)
Then we launch into a chorus in the new key of A:
||: A (I) A7 A6 A | D (IV) A A6 :||
| A E (V) | D D6 |
Outro
Finally, the outro repeats the chorus without the turnaround.
Here’s a chord chart:
Son Of A Preacher Man Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
This chart took some care to get right—the intro differs from the re-intro, the B7 section changes length, and there’s a full key change in the middle 8.
Capturing all that in a clear, readable format—without making it look overly complex—was the challenge!
Download the PDF here: Son of a Preacher Man chord chart PDF
Get the iReal Pro file here: Son of a Preacher Man iReal Pro.
You can transpose easily in the app—but in all my years playing this tune, I’ve never seen it done in a different key. Perhaps it just fits most singers well.
Below is a course preview where I play the full song using the backing track, followed by a breakdown of the verse.
Son Of A Preacher Man TAB | Course Preview
Since the original recording has no guitar part, we must create our own. That makes Son of a Preacher Man a fantastic lesson in arranging for rhythm guitar.
By working through the chords across the fretboard, your best options will soon become clear. And once you develop this ability, you can apply it to any soul or R&B track.
This song is full of movement within each chord. Quick extensions—like 6ths and sus chords—function as licks, so it’s vital to use TAB to see how they’re applied.
Equally important is shape variation. Unlike rock guitar, where rhythm parts are fixed, here you improvise as you go. Combining chord licks with flexible shapes makes this tune a masterclass in fretboard fluency.
Here’s the TAB for Verse Example 1:
In the course, you’ll find two more verse variations, followed by the same treatment for the chorus, intro, re-intro, and middle 8.
Finally, I play the full track and hand it over to you in Step 8—playing with the band.
Here’s a link to the 8-step-by-step guitar lessons: Son of a Preacher Man – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Dusty Springfield’s Timeless Classic and a Band’s Biggest Pitfall
Son of a Preacher Man is a 1968 single by Dusty Springfield that became her signature song.
It marked the final hit of her golden era in the ’60s, during which she released a steady stream of hits from 1963 to 1968, including I Only Want to Be with You (1963), I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself (1964), In the Middle of Nowhere (1965), You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me (1966), and The Look of Love (1967).
When Son of a Preacher Man was re-released in 1994 on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack, it became a staple in the setlists of most hard-working soul bands.
A word of warning for wedding bands forming in the car park—this song can feel slow, and if some members haven’t done their homework, the structure can get wobbly. My biggest pet hate is when bands play Son of a Preacher Man too fast—it sounds terrible.
However, if you take the time to study it properly, create a solid part, and play with confidence, Son of a Preacher Man is a guaranteed success. It fits perfectly in the first set alongside songs like Let’s Stay Together and My Girl.
Son Of A Preacher Man Chords: Continue Learning
Since Son of a Preacher Man doesn’t have a prominent guitar part to follow, we need to create our own by drawing inspiration from the other instruments.
I’ll provide several ideas to help you craft your parts, ensuring you’re ready to play with a live band in step 8.
Start learning with the full lesson series: Son Of A Preacher Man – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
