Thank God I’m a Country Boy | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
| N.C (hand claps) | N.C |
Verse 1
| N.C | N.C |
Well, life on the farm is kinda laid back.
| N.C | N.C |
Ain’t much an old country boy like me can’t hack.
| N.C | N.C |2/4 N.C |
It’s early to rise, early in the sack.
|4/4 N.C | N.C |
I thank God I’m a country boy.
Verse 2
Well, a simple kinda life never did me no harm.
A raisin’ me a family and workin’ on the farm.
My days are all filled with an easy country charm.
Thank God I’m a country boy.
Bridge 1
| N.C | N.C |
Well I got me a fine wife I got me an ol’ fiddle.
| N.C | N.C |
When the sun’s comin’ up I got cakes on the griddle.
| N.C | N.C |2/4 N.C |
And life ain’t nothin’ but a funny, funny riddle.
|4/4 N.C | N.C (E F# G#) |
Thank God I’m a country boy.
Verse 3
| A A/E | A D |
When the work’s all done and the sun’s settlin’ low.
| A A/E | G5 D |
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
| A F#m | E D | 2/4 D/A |
The kids are asleep so I keep it kinda low.
|4/4 A E | A A/E |
Thank God I’m a country boy.
Verse 4 (as verse 3)
I’d play Sally Goodin all day if I could.
But the Lord and my wife wouldn’t take it very good.
So I fiddle when I can and I work when I should.
Thank God I’m a country boy.
Bridge 2
| E E/B | A A/E |
Well, I got me a fine wife I got me an ol’ fiddle.
| E E/B | A A/E |
When the sun’s comin’ up I got cakes on the griddle.
| A F#m | E D |2/4 D/A |
Life ain’t nothin’ but a funny, funny riddle.
|4/4 A E | A A/E |
Thank God I’m a country boy, woo!
Solo
||: A A/E | A D |
| A A/E | G5 D |
| A F#m | E D |2/4 D/A |
|4/4 A E | A A/E :||
Verse 5 (as verse 3)
Well, I wouldn’t trade my life for diamonds or jewels.
I never was one of them money-hungry fools.
I’d rather have my fiddle and my farmin’ tools.
Thank God I’m a country boy.
Verse 6 (as verse 3)
Yeah, city folk drivin’ in a black limousine.
A lotta sad people thinkin’ that’s a mighty keen.
Well, son, let me tell ya now exactly what I mean.
I thank God I’m a country boy.
Bridge 3 (as bridge 2)
Well, I got me a fine wife I got me an ol’ fiddle.
When the sun’s comin’ up I got cakes on the griddle.
And life ain’t nothin’ but a funny, funny riddle.
Thank God I’m a country boy.
Solo 2
||: A A/E | A D |
| A A/E | G5 D |
| A F#m | E D |2/4 D/A |
|4/4 A E | A A/E :||
Verse 7 (as verse 3)
Well, my fiddle was my daddy’s ’til the day he died.
And he took me by the hand, held me close to his side.
Said, “live a good life, play my fiddle with pride.
And thank God you’re a country boy”.
Verse 8
| A A/E | A D |
Well, my daddy taught me young how to hunt and how to whittle.
| A A/E | G5 D |
Taught me how to work to play a tune on the fiddle.
| A F#m | E D | D (hold) | D (hold) |
He taught me how to love and how to give just a little.
|4/4 A E A | A A/E |
And thank God I’m a country boy.
Bridge 3
| E E/B | A A/E |
Well, I got me a fine wife I got me an ol’ fiddle.
| E E/B | A A/E |
When the sun’s comin’ up I got cakes on the griddle.
| A F#m | E D | D (hold) | D (hold) |
Life ain’t nothin’ but a funny, funny riddle.
| N.C | N.C |
Woo, thank God I’m a country boy, yes!
Outro
||: A A/E | A D |
| A A/E | G5 D |
| A F#m | E D |2/4 D/A |
|4/4 A E | A A/E :||
Thank God I’m a Country Boy Chords: Mastering the Fast-Paced Alternating Bass
For the practising guitarist, Thank God I’m A Country Boy offers a great lesson in fast, alternating bass patterns.
In true country style, the song includes occasional 2/4 bars, making it more challenging than simply strumming the chords. The verse follows a I – IV – I – bVIIx – IV progression, with the bVIIx chord adding tension (often called a “backdoor dominant”). The second half shifts to I – VI – V – IV, followed by a 2/4 bar on V, then resolves with I – V – I, like this:
| A (I) A/E | A D (IV) |
| A A/E | G5 (bVIIx) D |
| A F#m (VI) | E (V) D | 2/4 D/A |
|4/4 A E | A A/E |
The bridge—perhaps better described as the chorus—alternates between V – I before mirroring the second half of the verse:
| E (V) E/B | A (I) A/E |
| E E/B | A A/E |
| A F#m | E D | 2/4 D/A |
|4/4 A E | A A/E |
To get the feel right, nailing the alternating bass lines and time signatures is crucial—miss a beat, and the whole rhythm falls apart.
To help, I’ve created a TAB lesson where you can practice to a metronome, gradually increasing the speed before playing along with the original recording(s).
Check it out here: Thank God I’m a Country Boy – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Once you’re comfortable, a simple chord chart is all you’ll need to keep the progression fresh in your mind—here’s one I made for you.
Thank God I’m A Country Boy Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Thank God I’m A Country Boy chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Thank God I’m A Country Boy chord chart iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
Thank God I’m A Country Boy: The Tune That Came to Life On Stage
John Denver‘s Thank God I’m A Country Boy is a prime example of a fast, fun country tune that truly shines in a live setting.
Originally released in 1974 on Back Home Again, it was the live version recorded the following year that became a hit. The energy of the audience and Denver’s relaxed, engaging performance likely made all the difference.
This seems to be a common trend with lighthearted songs—their charm and humour translate best when there’s a crowd to react to them. A great example of this is Johnny Cash’s A Boy Named Sue, which exists only in live recordings—Spotify even has five different versions, but no studio take!
For comedy songwriters, this is a valuable lesson: sometimes, a live performance captures the spirit of a song better than any studio recording ever could.
Thank God I’m a Country Boy Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Thank God I’m A Country Boy (John Denver) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy: