The Highland Road lyrics and guitar chords
Written by Ian McCalman the guitar chords are by Marc Farabach, use capo on 3rd fret © Ian McCalman
Chorus
I will (D)go to the (Em)highlands to(D)morrow
I'll (Em)wander this (D)land and I'll (F#m)take the old (Bm)road to the (A7)sea
I will (G)go to the (A7)highlands to(D)morrow - (A7)Just (D)me -G-D-G
(Em)I'm heading north, the (D)wind at my back
Stra(G)thyre, Loch (D)Earn and (A7)on to Kil(A)lin
(Bm)Rannoch then (G)all the way (D)down to Glen(Bm)coe
(D)Three sisters (Bm)watching me, (D)watching me (A)go -A-A7
Chorus
I'll (Em)travel by night by the (D)light of the moon
I'll (G)follow the (D)rivers, the (A7)glens and the (A)shore
(Bm)Over the (G)hills, by (D)Moidart's Loch (Bm)Shiel
I'll (D)rest by Glen(Bm)finnan then (D)northward once (A)more -A-A7
Chorus
There's a (Em)new road ahead (D)don't look back
(G)Run for your (D)life, don't (A7)take any (A)more
(Bm)Nothing can (G)stop me, I've (D)made up my (Bm)mind
But I've (D)tried it be(Bm)fore. I've (D)tried it be(A)fore -A-A7
Chorus
Was there (Em)ever a land with such (D)beauty to share
Ho(G)rizon of (D)promises (A7)distant and (A)wild
The (Bm)bothy at (G)Culags then (D)through to the (Bm)sea
And the (D)Torredon Mountains for (A)me -A-A7
Chorus twice
G-Em-D
I will (D)go to the (Em)highlands to(D)morrow
I'll (Em)wander this (D)land and I'll (F#m)take the old (Bm)road to the (A7)sea
I will (G)go to the (A7)highlands to(D)morrow - (A7)Just (D)me -G-D-G
(Em)I'm heading north, the (D)wind at my back
Stra(G)thyre, Loch (D)Earn and (A7)on to Kil(A)lin
(Bm)Rannoch then (G)all the way (D)down to Glen(Bm)coe
(D)Three sisters (Bm)watching me, (D)watching me (A)go -A-A7
Chorus
I'll (Em)travel by night by the (D)light of the moon
I'll (G)follow the (D)rivers, the (A7)glens and the (A)shore
(Bm)Over the (G)hills, by (D)Moidart's Loch (Bm)Shiel
I'll (D)rest by Glen(Bm)finnan then (D)northward once (A)more -A-A7
Chorus
There's a (Em)new road ahead (D)don't look back
(G)Run for your (D)life, don't (A7)take any (A)more
(Bm)Nothing can (G)stop me, I've (D)made up my (Bm)mind
But I've (D)tried it be(Bm)fore. I've (D)tried it be(A)fore -A-A7
Chorus
Was there (Em)ever a land with such (D)beauty to share
Ho(G)rizon of (D)promises (A7)distant and (A)wild
The (Bm)bothy at (G)Culags then (D)through to the (Bm)sea
And the (D)Torredon Mountains for (A)me -A-A7
Chorus twice
G-Em-D
I Will Go to the Highlands Tomorrow
Key: D Major
Time: 4/4
Tempo: ~80–85 bpm (steady folk march)
Mood: reflective, travel ballad
🎸 STRUMMING PATTERN
For 4/4, a steady folk-country rhythm works beautifully:
Pattern:
👉 ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
(count: 1 2-and 3-and 4-and)
Or, for a slower storytelling feel:
👉 Bass ↓ (Down–Up) (pause) Down–Up
Tip:
On beat 1, pluck the lowest string (root note) of the chord.
Keep beats 2–4 soft and fluid to imitate the rhythm of walking the Highlands road.
🎶 CHORDS
Verse 1
(Em)I'm heading north, the (D)wind at my back,
Stra(G)thyre, Loch (D)Earn and (A7)on to Kil(A)lin.
(Bm)Rannoch then (G)all the way (D)down to Glen(Bm)coe,
(D)Three sisters (Bm)watching me, (D)watching me (A)go.
Chorus
I will (D)go to the (Em)highlands to(D)morrow,
I'll (Em)wander this (D)land and I'll (F#m)take the old (Bm)road to the (A7)sea.
I will (G)go to the (A7)highlands to(D)morrow — (A7)just (D)me. (G)– (D)– (G)
🪕 FINGERPICKING TAB (Verse + Chorus)
This song suits a steady alternating-bass Travis-picking pattern.
Right-hand roles:
T (thumb): plays bass (E/A/D strings)
I (index): plays G string
M (middle): plays B string
Pattern (per bar, 4/4):
T I M I T I M I
Keep it rolling and even — like footsteps.
🎸 TAB – Verse 1
[Em]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|
A|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
I'm heading north, the wind at my back...
[D]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------3---------|------3---------|------3---------|------3---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
Stra-thyre, Loch Earn and on to Kil-lin...
[G]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--0-------0-----|--0-------0-----|--0-------0-----|--0-------0-----|
A|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|
E|3---------------|3---------------|3---------------|3---------------|
[A7]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------2---------|------2---------|------2---------|------2---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|
A|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
Watching me go...
🎸 TAB – Chorus
[D]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------3---------|------3---------|------3---------|------3---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
I will go to the Highlands tomorrow...
[Em]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|
A|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
[F#m]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------2---------|------2---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|--4-------4-----|--4-------4-----|
A|4---------------|4---------------|
E|2---------------|2---------------|
[Bm]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------3---------|------3---------|
G|----4---4-------|----4---4-------|
D|--4-------4-----|--4-------4-----|
A|2---------------|2---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
[A7]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------2---------|------2---------|------2---------|------2---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|
A|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
...to the sea, just me.
Key: D Major
Time: 4/4
Tempo: ~80–85 bpm (steady folk march)
Mood: reflective, travel ballad
🎸 STRUMMING PATTERN
For 4/4, a steady folk-country rhythm works beautifully:
Pattern:
👉 ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
(count: 1 2-and 3-and 4-and)
Or, for a slower storytelling feel:
👉 Bass ↓ (Down–Up) (pause) Down–Up
Tip:
On beat 1, pluck the lowest string (root note) of the chord.
Keep beats 2–4 soft and fluid to imitate the rhythm of walking the Highlands road.
🎶 CHORDS
Verse 1
(Em)I'm heading north, the (D)wind at my back,
Stra(G)thyre, Loch (D)Earn and (A7)on to Kil(A)lin.
(Bm)Rannoch then (G)all the way (D)down to Glen(Bm)coe,
(D)Three sisters (Bm)watching me, (D)watching me (A)go.
Chorus
I will (D)go to the (Em)highlands to(D)morrow,
I'll (Em)wander this (D)land and I'll (F#m)take the old (Bm)road to the (A7)sea.
I will (G)go to the (A7)highlands to(D)morrow — (A7)just (D)me. (G)– (D)– (G)
🪕 FINGERPICKING TAB (Verse + Chorus)
This song suits a steady alternating-bass Travis-picking pattern.
Right-hand roles:
T (thumb): plays bass (E/A/D strings)
I (index): plays G string
M (middle): plays B string
Pattern (per bar, 4/4):
T I M I T I M I
Keep it rolling and even — like footsteps.
🎸 TAB – Verse 1
[Em]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|
A|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
I'm heading north, the wind at my back...
[D]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------3---------|------3---------|------3---------|------3---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
Stra-thyre, Loch Earn and on to Kil-lin...
[G]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--0-------0-----|--0-------0-----|--0-------0-----|--0-------0-----|
A|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|
E|3---------------|3---------------|3---------------|3---------------|
[A7]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------2---------|------2---------|------2---------|------2---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|
A|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
Watching me go...
🎸 TAB – Chorus
[D]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------3---------|------3---------|------3---------|------3---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
I will go to the Highlands tomorrow...
[Em]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|
A|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
[F#m]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------2---------|------2---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|--4-------4-----|--4-------4-----|
A|4---------------|4---------------|
E|2---------------|2---------------|
[Bm]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------3---------|------3---------|
G|----4---4-------|----4---4-------|
D|--4-------4-----|--4-------4-----|
A|2---------------|2---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
[A7]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------2---------|------2---------|------2---------|------2---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|2---------------|
A|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
...to the sea, just me.
