LOVER'S CROSS (Jim Croce)

Written by Jim Croce in the key of C in 4/4 time
Released on the album: I Got A Name (1973)
Released as a single in the UK in 1975 and as a single B-side in the US in 1976
Fingerstyle version for single acoustic guitar
Lover's Cross on Wikipedia | Lyrics

 Studio Version

thumb: x             Hammer on: h             Bend up: V                   Play or don't: ()
index: a             Pull off: p              Bend down: Λ                 Break: b
dirty: b             Slide up: /              Fret but don't pick: !       Downward stroke: ↑
ring: c              Slide down: \            Staccato: :                  Upward stroke: ↓
pinky: d             Arpeggio: ~~~            Mute: m

To stabilize your picking hand, put your ring/thumb on the e-string/E-string in the red marked part
Red colored exclamation marks offer additional fretting information
Click on < x > to do the switcheroo

chord image legend: x = fretted and played
                    o = fretted but not played

Picking patterns that fit most Croce songs in 4/4 time:
x - a - bc - a  - x - a - bc - a
x - a - bc - x - a - bc - x - a
x - a - b - (x)c - b - a - x - a
x - a - b - x - c - b - x - a


The song actually starts with an intro in F

INTRO IN C

    C                    Am                     Dm                   G7
e-----------0---------------------0---------|-----------1a-------------------1a-------|  picking pattern:
b-----------1a--------------------1a--------|-----------3d-------------------0--------|  x - a - bc - x
g-------0--------------------2b--------2b---|------2b--------2b----------0--------0---|  x - a - bc - a (3x)
D-------------------------------------------|---0-------------------------------------|
A---3c-----------2b------0------------------|-----------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------|------------------------3c---------------|  repeat tab 1x

1ST VERSE

... Guess that it was bound to happen ...
... was just a matter of time ... but now I've ...
... come to my decision ... and it's ...
    C                    Am                     Dm                   G7
e-----------0---------------------0---------|-----------1a-------------------1a-------|  picking pattern:
b-----------1a--------------------1a--------|-----------3d-------------------0--------|  x - a - bc - x
g-------0--------------------2b--------2b---|------2b--------2b----------0--------0---|  x - a - bc - a (3x)
D-------------------------------------------|---0-------------------------------------|
A---3c-----------2b------0------------------|-----------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------|------------------------3c---------------|  repeat tab 2x

... one of the painful kind ... 'cause now it ...
    C                C/B               Am                              Am/G
e------------0----------------0----|----------------0--------------|-----------0---------|  picking pattern:
b------------1a---------------1a---|------------1a-------1a--------|-----------1a--------|  x - a - bc (2x)
g--------0----------------0--------|-------2b-----------------2b---|-------2b-------2b---|  x - a - b - (x)c - b - a
D----------------------------------|-------------------------------|---------------------|  x - a - bc - a
A---3c---------------2b------------|---0-----------(0)-------------|---------------------|
E----------------------------------|-------------------------------|---3c----------------|
    <-------- 6/8 time -------->       <------- 6/8 time ------>       <-- 2/4 time ->

... seems that you wanted a martyr ... just a ...
    F                     G                    Am
e------------1a--------------------3d------|-----------------0----------------------|  picking pattern:
b------------1a--------------------0-------|------------1a--------1a----------------|  x - a - bc - a (2x)
g--------2b-------2b----------0--------0---|-------2c-----------------2c-------2c---|  x - a - b - (x)c - b - a - x - a
D---3d-------------------------------------|-------------------------------2b-------|
A---!--------------------------------------|---0------------(0)---------------------|
E-------------------------3c---------------|----------------------------------------|

... regular guy wouldn't do ... but baby ...
    F                     Am7                   Dm                    G7
e------------1a--------------------0-------|-------------1a--------------------1a------|  picking pattern:
b------------1a--------------------1a------|-------------3d--------------------0-------|  x - a - bc - a (4x)
g--------2c-------2c----------0--------0---|--------2b--------2b----------0--------0---|
D---!3d-------------------2b---------------|----0--------------------------------------|
A------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------------|--------------------------3c---------------|

... I can't hang upon no lover's cross for ...
    C        C/B       Am       Am/G         F                     G6
e--------0--------0--------0--------0----|------------1a--------------------0-------|  picking pattern:
b--------1a-------1a-------1a-------1a---|------------1a--------------------0-------|  x - abc (4x)
g--------0--------0--------2b-------2b---|-------2b--------2b----------0--------0---|  x - a - bc - a (2x)
D----------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
A---3d-------2b--------0-----------------|------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------3c-------|---1a--------------------3c---------------|
                                             <- full barré ->
... you ...
    C                                       G7
e-----------------0---------------------|-----------------1a--------------------|  picking pattern:
b------------1a-------1a----------------|------------0---------0----------------|  x - a - b - (x)c - b - a - x - a (2x)
g-------0------------------0--------0---|-------0------------------0--------0---|
D-------------------------------2b------|-------------------------------0-------|
A---3d----------(3d)--------------------|---------------------------------------|
E---!-----------------------------------|---3c-----------(3c)-------------------|

2ND VERSE (same tab as 1st verse but this time passing into the chorus)

... I really got to hand it to yer ...
... 'cause girl you really tried ... but for ...
... ev'ry time that we spent laughing there were ...
... two times that I cried ... and you were ...
... trying to make me your martyr ... and that's the ...
... one thing I just couldn't do ... 'cause baby ...
... I can't hang upon no lover's cross for ...
... you ... 'Cause ...
    C                                       C7
e----------------0----------------------|-----------------0----------------------|  picking pattern:
b------------1a-------1a----------------|------------1a--------1a----------------|  x - a - b - xc - b - a - x - a (2x)
g-------0------------------0--------0---|-------3d-----------------3d-------3d---|
D----------------2b---------------------|---2b--------------------------2b-------|
A---3c--------------------------3c------|-----------------3c---------------------|  < x >
E---------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|

CHORUS

...tables are meant for turning and ...
    F                     G                     Am                    Em
e------------1a---------------------3d------|------------0---------------------0-------|  picking pattern:
b------------1a---------------------0-------|------------1a--------------------0-------|  x - a - bc - a (4x)
g-------2b--------2b-----------0--------0---|-------2c--------2c----------0--------0---|
D-------------------------------------------|---!--------------------------------------|
A-------------------------------------------|---0--------------------------------------|
E---1a--------------------3c----------------|-------------------------0----------------|
    <- full barré ->

... people are bound to change ... and ...
    F                     C                     Dm                    G
e------------1a---------------------0-------|------------1a--------------------3d------|  picking pattern:
b------------1a---------------------1a------|------------3d--------------------0-------|  x - a - bc - a (4x)
g-------2b--------2b-----------0--------0---|-------2b--------2b----------0--------0---|
D-------------------------!-----------------|---0--------------------------------------|
A-------------------------3c----------------|------------------------------------------|
E---1a--------------------------------------|-------------------------3c---------------|
    <- full barré ->

... bridges are meant for burning when the ...
    F                     G                     Am                    Em
e------------1a---------------------3d------|------------0---------------------0-------|  picking pattern:
b------------1a---------------------0-------|------------1a--------------------0-------|  x - a - bc - a (4x)
g-------2b--------2b-----------0--------0---|-------2c--------2c----------0--------0---|
D-------------------------------------------|---!--------------------------------------|
A-------------------------------------------|---0--------------------------------------|
E---1a--------------------3c----------------|-------------------------0----------------|
    <- full barré ->

... people and mem'ries they join aren't the ...
    F                      C                     Dm
e---------1a---1a↑-----|--------0-----0↑-----|-------1a---1a↑-----|  picking pattern: (pick and/or strumm ad lib)
b---------1a---1a↑-----|--------1a---1a↑-----|-------3d---3d↑-----|  x - abc - a~~~ (3x)
g---------2b---2b↑-----|--------0-----0↑-----|-------2b---2b↑-----|
D--------------3d↑-----|-------------2b↑-----|---0---------0↑-----|
A---!------------------|---3c----------------|--------------------|
E---1a-----------------|---------------------|--------------------|  info
          ¼                     ¼                   ¼
    < full barré >

... same ... So I ...
    G                                        G7
e----------------3d---------------------|------------------1a--------------------|  picking pattern:
b------------0--------0-----------------|-------------0---------0----------------|  x - a - b - xc - b - a - x - a (2x)
g-------0------------------0--------0---|--------0------------------0--------0---|
D----------------0----------------------|----0---------------------------0-------|
A---------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|  < x >
E---3c--------------------------3c------|------------------3c--------------------|

3RD VERSE (same tab as 1st verse but now passing into the outro)

... hope that you can find another who can ...
... take what I could not ...
... he'll have to be a super guy or ...
... maybe a super god ... 'cause I ...
... never was much of a martyr before and I ...
... ain't 'bout to start nothin' new ... and baby ...
... I can't hang upon no lover's cross for ...

OUTRO

... you ...
    C                   C/B                   Am                    Dsus2/F#
e------------0--------------------0-------|------------0----------------------0--------|  picking pattern:
b------------1a-------------------1a------|------------1a---------------------3d-------|  x - a - bc - a (4x)
g-------0--------0-----------0--------0---|-------2b--------2b-----------2b-------2b---|
D---!-------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
A---3d------------------2b----------------|---0----------------------------------------|
E---!-------------------!-----------------|-------------------------2a-----------------|

    G6                 F                      G7/D
e------------0-------------------1a-------|------------1a------------------------------|  picking pattern:
b------------0-------------------1a-------|------------3d------------------------------|  x - a - bc - a (3x)
g-------0--------0----------2b-------2b---|-------0---------0--------------------------|
D-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
A-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
E---3c-----------------1a-----------------|---3c---------------------------------------|  ritardando
                       <- full barré ->

Finish the song with a strummed C/G chord [3c3d2b01a0]