Wide Open Road - chords, tab and comments

At the bottom you'll find a link to the complete lyrics.

This seldom played song is unique. It may be the very first recording by Johnny Cash: 1st of September 1954 he went to Sun Studio, Memphis and cut three demoes (the two others were "You're My Baby" and "My Treasure") only with his acoustic guitar. The same day the master was cut with Luther Perkins and Marshall Grant, together with "Hey Porter" and "Cry, Cry, Cry", which were chosen for Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two's first single, released in June -55.
"Wide Open Road" became a leftover, to fill up later albums. On 1st of May 1964, when Sun was about to be acquired by Mercury, it was released as the very last Cash single on that label.
So, this song is music history, and you should treat it with respect. Well, not too much. Originally the song goes F-B-G-C boom-chicka-boom - real rockabillies don't bother with tricky chords; I'm even surprised they involved the G-bridge - but I like it more jazzy. That's why my key is "A" instead of "F", and I've even dared to change the end of the refrain's third line to end up F# ... sorry, Johnny ... but for Cash die hards: HERE is the original.
And the story behind the "boom-chicka-boom" style I've summed up HERE.

A                                              A7
well you said you've had enough you said that you were leavin'
         D                  D7
I said shove off honey baby I ain't grievin'
A                   F#m
pack your bags and pull out this evenin'
           B7        E7
there's a wide open road

A                            A7
early this mornin' you were nowhere about
          D                             D7
and so I searched the town but you had done pulled out
          A                              F#m
I looked north east and west and then a-leadin' south
         B7  E7    A
I saw a wide open road

A                    A7
there's a wide open road
              D              A
it's leadin' south from my abode
         D      B7                  F#m7   F#
if you stick around then turn your damper down
     F#m     Dmaj7 Bm11 A
or there's a wide open road