🎸 Learn to Play “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” – Chords, Strumming & Practice Guide
Want to confidently strum your way through “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain”?
Struggling to make it past the first verse?
Looking for the chords and a simple breakdown so you can actually play the song, not just collect sheet music?
You’re in the right place!
This page doesn’t give you the lyrics or a chord sheet like you’d find on other sites—but it does give you something better:
A step-by-step plan to help you actually learn the song from start to finish, the way I teach my students.
Tip: Not ready for alternating bass strumming yet?
Start with four downstrokes per bar to lock in the groove. Add the Down-Up, then the bass alternation once your timing feels steady.
🔁 CHORD PROGRESSION OVERVIEW
Rather than giving away the full structure here, we’ll focus on training your ear and memory. The tune cycles through a small set of repeating sections built from E, A, and B7. I demonstrate the full form and repetitions clearly in the video (including when to switch, how many times to repeat, and the feel changes).
📝 Practice Guide (No Lyrics Required)
This is a very straight-forward 1-4-5 progression in the key of E. The one thing to look out for is the SINGLE BEAT of the A-chord in the 2nd measure (highlighted below) – be sure to count it out and play 1 downstroke per beat, keeping the rhythm super simple while you work out that quick switch!
| E | E A| E | E |
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
| B7 | B7 | E | E |
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Count out loud and keep it even. Aim for clean, relaxed changes.
One more progression
Once you’ve worked out the first progression using downstrokes only, we can try the bridge which is even simpler. We play A for 4 measures, followed by E and B7 for 2 measures each. Using the IV chord (A) at the beginning of the bridge – essentially highlighting it – is very idiomatic to country music. This is followed by a half cadence ending on the V chord (B7) – which leads the ear perfectly to the start of the next verse.
| A | A | A | A |
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
| E | E | B7 | B7 |
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Add the signature embellishments (one at a time)
This tune has a TON of walk-ups and walk-downs. They are quite simple – the basic ones used by countless country and western artists in countless songs – but there are a lot of them. You should practice the lines individually, and then incorporate them into the song using the provided video tutorial. Here are the lines for your reference:
Tip: Don’t stack all the frills at once. Do a full play-through with only one new embellishment, then add another on your next pass.
🧠 Troubleshooting the Tricky Bits
- E ↔ A ↔ B7 bass-lead confusion:
Remember which string starts the bar:
E = low E first, B7 = A first, A = A first. - Switching to B7 cleanly:
Keep your middle finger planted as a pivot when moving from E to B7. - Timing wobbles when adding runs:
If a lick knocks you off time, mute the strings and clap/count the rhythm of the lick first, then re-apply to guitar.
🚀 Next Steps
By following the video and using the practice structure above, you’ll be able to play the whole song confidently—first the “campfire” version, then the tasteful Willie-style details.
When you’re ready:
- Explore other simple 3 chord country songs
- Or level up your rhythm with Learn Guitar Once-and-for-all
⚠️ Disclaimer
This tutorial is for educational purposes and personal practice only. All rights to the original composition belong to their respective copyright holders. This page does not include or distribute lyrics or official sheet music.
