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He Was A Friend Of Mine

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HE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE BY WILLIE NELSON IN D
A great song from the pen of Bob Dylan, adapted with some changes and used by Willie 
Nelson as the soundtrack for the film “Brokeback Mountain”. It is in the same key but a 
little slower in tempo than the Dylan original.
The intro can be played throughout each verse, and the instrumentals follow the same 
chord pattern as the verses. F#7 and Bm are barre chords. If you are not up to them yet, 
omit the 5th and 6th strings.
Metronome 56
Mike Perry
Chords
e  A70   D2   G3   F#72   Bm2
B  2   3   0   2   3
G  0   2   0   3   4
D  2   0   0   2   4
A  0   0   0   4   2
E  0   0   0   2   2
Intro (picking melody over chord)
  A7        D       A7         D
Ge-0h3-D--F#7--------Bm----0h3---22-0-----------2-5-3-3-3-2--2-3-2---2-|
B-------2s5-3------------------3-------3-----0-0-0-3--2-----5-3-|
G-------------2h4-2--------------2h4-2-------0-0-0-2-—3-------4-|
D--------------------------------------------0-0-0-0—-2-------4-|
A--------------------------------------------2-2-2-0—-4-------2-|
E--------------------------------------------3-3-2----2-------2-|
e-0-D2---A7--2pD0---------|
B---3---2-----3-------|
G---2-----------2h4-2-|
D---0-----------------|
A---0-----------------|
E---------------------|
A7He was a friend of Dmine
A7He was a friend of Dmine
GEvery time I Dthink of him
I F#7just can't keep from Bmcryin'
'Cause Dhe   A7was a friend oDf mine
A7He died on the Droad
A7He died on the Droad
GHe just kept on Dmoving
Never F#7reaped what he could Bmsow
And Dhe   A7was a friend oDf mine
Instrumental
A7I stole away and Dcried
A7I stole away and Dcried
GI never had too much Dmoney
And I F#7never been quite satisBmfied
And Dhe   A7was a friend of Dmine
A7He never done no wroDng
A7He never done no wroDng
GA thousand miles from Dhome
And he F#7never harmed no Bmone
And Dhe   A7was a friend of Dmine
Instrumental
A7He was a friend of Dmine
A7He was a friend of Dmine
GEvery time I hear his Dname Lord
I F#7just can't keep from Bmcryin'
'Cause Dhe   A7was a friend of Dmine

All chords in this song (5)

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He Was A Friend Of Mine

by Willie Nelson

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

F#7

HE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE BY WILLIE NELSON IN D

A great song from the pen of Bob Dylan, adapted with some changes and used by Willie

Nelson as the soundtrack for the film “Brokeback Mountain”. It is in the same key but a

little slower in tempo than the Dylan original.

The intro can be played throughout each verse, and the instrumentals follow the same

chord pattern as the verses. F#7 and Bm are barre chords. If you are not up to them yet,

omit the 5th and 6th strings.

Metronome 56

Mike Perry

Chords

A7 D G F#7 Bm

e 0 2 3 2 2

B 2 3 0 2 3

G 0 2 0 3 4

D 2 0 0 2 4

A 0 0 0 4 2

E 0 0 0 2 2

Intro (picking melody over chord)

A7 D A7 D

G D F#7 Bm

e-0h3---------------0h3---22-0-----------2-5-3-3-3-2--2-3-2---2-|

B-------2s5-3------------------3-------3-----0-0-0-3--2-----5-3-|

G-------------2h4-2--------------2h4-2-------0-0-0-2-—3-------4-|

D--------------------------------------------0-0-0-0—-2-------4-|

A--------------------------------------------2-2-2-0—-4-------2-|

E--------------------------------------------3-3-2----2-------2-|

D A7 D

e-0-2-----2p0---------|

B---3---2-----3-------|

G---2-----------2h4-2-|

D---0-----------------|

A---0-----------------|

E---------------------|

A7 D

He was a friend of mine

A7 D

He was a friend of mine

G D

Every time I think of him

F#7 Bm

I just can't keep from cryin'

D A7 D

'Cause he was a friend of mine

A7 D

He died on the road

A7 D

He died on the road

G D

He just kept on moving

F#7 Bm

Never reaped what he could sow

D A7 D

And he was a friend of mine

Instrumental

A7 D

I stole away and cried

A7 D

I stole away and cried

G D

I never had too much money

F#7 Bm

And I never been quite satisfied

D A7 D

And he was a friend of mine

A7 D

He never done no wrong

A7 D

He never done no wrong

G D

A thousand miles from home

F#7 Bm

And he never harmed no one

D A7 D

And he was a friend of mine

Instrumental

A7 D

He was a friend of mine

A7 D

He was a friend of mine

G D

Every time I hear his name Lord

F#7 Bm

I just can't keep from cryin'

D A7 D

'Cause he was a friend of mine

About He Was A Friend Of Mine Chords by Willie Nelson

Learn how to play He Was A Friend Of Mine by Willie Nelson with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “He Was A Friend Of Mine chords”, “He Was A Friend Of Mine guitar chords”, or “Willie Nelson He Was A Friend Of Mine chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy He Was A Friend Of Mine chords and for experienced players who want accurate He Was A Friend Of Mine lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include A, D, F#7, Bm, A7, G.

FAQ — He Was A Friend Of Mine by Willie Nelson

How do I play "He Was A Friend Of Mine" by Willie Nelson on guitar?

Open the free chords for "He Was A Friend Of Mine" by Willie Nelson on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "He Was A Friend Of Mine" by Willie Nelson free?

Yes. The chords for "He Was A Friend Of Mine" by Willie Nelson are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "He Was A Friend Of Mine" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "He Was A Friend Of Mine" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "He Was A Friend Of Mine"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "He Was A Friend Of Mine" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "He Was A Friend Of Mine" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "He Was A Friend Of Mine" by Willie Nelson with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Willie Nelson below.

What key is "He Was A Friend Of Mine" in?

The chords for "He Was A Friend Of Mine" show the original chord names (including A, D, F#7, Bm, A7, G). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.