One Tin Soldier - Coven | Song Tabs

One Tin Soldier Coven

"One Tin Soldier" by Coven is a classic folk-rock song first popularized in the early 1970s. The original features gentle acoustic guitar and clear storytelling vocals, making it accessible and memorable for players and listeners alike.

Chord Progression and Transitions

The song uses basic open chords: C, G, Am, Em, F, Fmaj7, and Dm7. Beginners should practice switching between these, particularly F and Fmaj7, which can be tricky. For F, try the easy "mini-barre" version if full barre is difficult. Transition smoothly from F to Fmaj7 by lifting your pinky and shifting your index.

The chorus alternates between Em, F, and C, which is a good exercise in moving from minor to major chords. Dm7 appears briefly—play it by lifting your ring finger from a standard Dm shape.

Strumming Pattern

A gentle folk strum works well: try "down, down-up, up-down-up" for each chord, keeping a steady rhythm. For a softer touch, use your fingers to strum, or a thin pick to match the feel of the original. During the chorus, you may emphasize downstrokes for dramatic effect.

General Tips

Listen to the original to internalize tempo and dynamics. Sing along to help with timing. If chord changes are challenging, slow the tempo and practice transitions until smooth. Enjoy telling the story through your playing!

Dm7

Fmaj7

Intro

C G Am Am Em

F C F Dm⁷ C C C C

Verse 1

Listen childrenG to a story,Am that was writtenEm long ago

AF bout a kingdomC on a mountain,Am and the ValleyG Folk below

C On the mountainG was a treasure,Am buried deep beEm neath a stone

F And the ValleyC People swore, they'dF have it forFmaj⁷ theirG veryC own

C F C

Chorus

Go ahead and hate yourEm neighbor,F go ahead and cheat aC friend

Do it in the name ofEm heaven, you canF justify it in theC end

There won't be any trumpetsEm blowin',F come the JudgementC Day

On the bloody morningF afterEm F

One tinEm soldierF rides aC way

C F C C F C

Verse 2

So the peopleG of the valley,Am sent a messageEm up the hill

F Asking for theC buried treasure,F tons of gold forG which they'd kill

C Came an answerG from the kingdom:Am With our brothersEm we will share

F All the secretsC of our mountain,F all the richFmaj⁷ esG buriedC there

C F C

Verse 3

Now the valleyG cried with anger,Am Mount your horses, draw your sword

And theyF killed theC mountain peopleF sure they'd won theirG just reward

C Now they stood beG side the treasure,Am on the mountainEm dark and red

F Turned the stone andC looked beneath it

F Peace on earth was all itC said

C F C

Outro

C F C G F C