The Song – Wagon Wheel
Wagon wheel is a great little song and a crowd favorite every time we play for sure. The song is written in the key of A and can be played with a capo on the second fret using the G position chords. We will use the the capo on the second fret, for players not familiar with barre chords.
Song Key – A
The Progression
With Capo on second fret, using chord shapes from the G pattern,
| First part of progression | ||||
| Position | I | V | VI | IV |
| Chord | G | D | Em | G |
| Second part of progression | ||||
| Position | I | V | IV | |
| Chord | G | D | C | |
you will notice there is essentially two parts to this entire song. You play the first progression then the second progression. The progressions are essentially a loop for the entire song.
The Song
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Wagon Wheel [Intro] G D Em C G D Em C G D C [Verse] G D Heading down south to the land of the pines Em C I'm thumbing my way into North Caroline G D C Staring up the road and pray to God I see headlights G D I made it down the coast in seventeen hours Em C Picking me a bouquet of dogwood flowers G D C And I'm a-hopin' for Raleigh, I can see my baby tonight [Chorus] G D So rock me momma like a wagon wheel Em C Rock me momma any way you feel G D C Hey, momma rock me G D Rock me momma like the wind and the rain Em C Rock me momma like a south bound train G D C Hey, momma rock me [Instrumental] G D Em C G D C [Verse] G D Running from the cold up in New England Em C I was born to be a fiddler in an old time string band G D C My baby plays a guitar, I pick a banjo now G D Oh, north country winters keep a-getting me down Em C I lost my money playing poker so I had to leave town G D C But I ain't turning back to living that old life no more [Chorus] G D So rock me momma like a wagon wheel Em C Rock me momma any way you feel G D C Hey, momma rock me G D Rock me momma like the wind and the rain Em C Rock me momma like a south bound train G D C Hey, momma rock me [Instrumental] G D Em C G D C G D Em C G D C [Verse] G D Walkin' to the south out of Roanoke Em C I caught a trucker out of Philly had a nice long toke G D But he's a heading west from the Cumberland gap C To Johnson City, Tennessee G D And I gotta get a move on before the sun Em C I hear my baby calling my name and I know that she's the only one G D C And if I died in Raleigh at least I will die free [Chorus] (one strum each chord below) G D So rock me momma like a wagon wheel Em C Rock me momma any way you feel G D C Hey, momma rock me G D Rock me momma like the wind and the rain Em C Rock me momma like a south bound train G D C Hey, momma rock me (normal strumming) G D So rock me momma like a wagon wheel Em C Rock me momma any way you feel G D C Hey, momma rock me G D Rock me momma like the wind and the rain Em C Rock me momma like a south bound train G D C G D Em C Hey, momma rock me G D C (fade) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ History
The song is written by Ketch Secor with song writing credits going to Bob Dylan and the blues musician Arthur Crudup, who Bob Dylan credited the Phrase “Rock Me Mama”.
Chords used in this song
With Capo on 2nd fret
