Johnny Cash - Dorraine Of Ponchartrain: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "Dorraine Of Ponchartrain" on your guitar with our chord guide. This page provides everything you need to perform this song on the guitar, including lyrics integrated with chords, chord diagrams, and a key transposer to match your vocal range.

For easier playing, use our Simplify Chords feature to remove difficult chords like barre.

A#                                  D#
As I walked by the lake one day by chance my Dorraine passed my way
      A#                                   C7              A#
Then she and I walked hand in hand on the banks of Ponchartrain
   A#                              D#
I pinned a flower on her heart, I swore we'd never be apart
     A#                              F                  A#
She vowed her love forever and as I kissed her did the same

Chorus:
    A#           D#        A#
Dorraine, my Dorraine, my dark haired little angel
    F               A#
My belle of Ponchartrain

We sat down on the dock and with our hearts and fingers locked
We laughed and talked and joked about when our names are the same
And joking, I said, "Honey, are you marrying me for money?"
And it took just one quick look to tell it hurt my dear Dorraine

She jumped and stood above me and she cried, "Why you don't love me!
I'm rowing home across the lake you won't see me again"
I called and called some more, but she rowed fast from the shore
And the clouds brought by a wind began to rain on Pontchartrain

Chorus

The storm should make her learn that she should make a swift return
But as the rain fell harder, I lost sight of my Dorraine
As panic gripped my heart, I drew the oars and made my start
To look for her on raging water and the rain on Pontchartrain

At darkness, I still called, but no one heard my cries at all
And when the daybreak came then others helped me look for my Dorraine
But there was not a thing afloat except the oars from her rowboat
For all was lost upon the choppy waves and rain on Pontchartrain

Now I come day after day to where my sweetheart rowed away
And I gaze across the water of the rainy Pontchartrain
Just one thing and nothing more ever floated back to shore
It was this flower I hold, it is the one I pinned on my Dorraine

Chorus


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

A#

Guitar chord A#

C7

Guitar chord C7

D#

Guitar chord D#

F

Guitar chord F

Here you can see detailed diagrams for each guitar chord used in the song. Utilize our key transposer to adjust the chords to a key that better fits your singing range. Simply select the desired key, and the chords throughout this page will update automatically, ensuring you can play and sing comfortably.

If you are also interested in learning how to play "Dorraine Of Ponchartrain" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "Dorraine Of Ponchartrain" by Johnny Cash.

Johnny Cash Song List