What is it about sad songs that make them so fun to sing? Don’t This Road Look Rough and Rocky is a three-chord ballad that packs a lot of melodrama and melancholy into its chorus and three verses. It was popularized by Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt in the 1950s and has been covered by many artists (including Emmylou Harris). Don’t This Road Look Rough and Rocky was one of the very first songs I memorized the chords and lyrics to, and I encourage you to try memorizing it, too. Because it uses only three chords and follows a predictable chord progression, memorizing this song will put you on the path to more easily memorizing other songs!

For this play-along, I’m playing it in the Key of A using the A, D, and E7 chords. If this isn’t the right key for your vocal range, use my chord chart to figure out which key is!

How to Learn a New Song

I find it really helpful to break down a new song into baby steps, and to go in this general order:

Get really familiar with the melody and lyrics
Learn the chords
Practice the strumming and/or fingerpicking pattern on its own
Put the chords and strumming pattern together
Add in the lyrics, trying to remember to sing with feeling
Learn it by heart. Once you kind of have the lyrics down, try playing it without referencing the video and/or chord sheet. Like anything else, memorizing a song can take a little practice but I bet you can do it. Look at the verses and chorus and note where the chord changes occur, then try playing it on your own. Don’t be afraid to go off the page!
Tailor the song for your tastes. Do you think the lyrics of the chorus needs updating? Do you see an opportunity for a little riff or solo somewhere? What can you do to make this song yours?

I think this song sounds great with just vocals and one ukulele, but it’s also wonderful with embellishments, harmonies, and a full band. How will you play it?