A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall
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A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall – Bob Dylan
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Written by: Bob Dylan
From: "The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan" (1963)
Tabbed by: maguri
Tuning: Drop-D (D-A-D-G-B-e) + capo 2nd (= E-B-E-A-C#-f#) /
Standard (E-A-D-G-B-e)
or Standard with partial capo on strings 1-5 (E-B-E-A-C#-f#)
capo: 2nd fret
key: E
For chords in original key transpose these chords +2 to E.
These are the chords played on the studio version from “Freewheelin’”.
The key is E, but here I suggest using a Drop-D tuning with a capo 2nd fret.
Drop D is easy to do: Just tune down the 6th string (low E) down two steps
to D and leave the other strings as they are.
Tip: Partial capo
If you want that low root note on the D chord, like the one heard in Dylan’s
recording (which actually sounds as an E due to the capo), but without switching
to Drop D tuning:
Place a capo on the 2nd fret — but only on strings 1 through 5, leaving the
low E string open. Now, when you play a standard D voicing (0-0-0-2-3-2), you’ll
also get that low E root note. All other chord shapes can be played as usual.
To pull off this trick, you’ll need a capo that allows partial coverage —
meaning it only presses down on selected strings. Not all capos support this
setup. For example, a Shubb capo is perfect for this, as it allows selective
string clamping. On the other hand, traditional full-capos (like those that
clamp all six strings) won't allow you to isolate specific strings. There are,
however, many different kinds of partial capos available, allowing you to
experiment and unlock new sounds.
What makes Dylan's usage of Drop D tuning interesting is the continuous drone
in the verses. I made a quick demo recording, so you can hear what this
tab sounds like: https://soundcloud.com/maguri/a-hard-rains-a-gonna-fall
For novice players:
(1) Use Standard Tuning with the voicings suggested below.
(2) Additionally one could just leave out the notes after the slashes - instead
of G/D play a regular G shape, instead of A/D play a regular A. You can use
the "Simplify" button at the bottom of the screen to make the slash chords
disappear from the chord sheet.
Verse 4: Dylan actually sings "what did you meet" in the first line.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHORDS
with partial capo (strings 1-5)
Tuning Drop D Standard Standard
D-A-D-G-B-e E-A-D-G-B-e E-A-D-G-B-e
D 0-0-0-2-3-2 x-x-0-2-3-2 0-0-0-2-3-2
A 2-0-2-2-2(0) x-0-2-2-2-0 x-0-2-2-2-0
G (0)2-0-0-3-3 3-x-0-0-0-3 3-x-0-0-0-3
G/D 0-0-0-4-3-3 (actually: Gadd2/D) x-x-0-0-0-3 x-x-0-0-0-3
A/D 0-0-0-6-5-5 (actually: Aadd4/D) x-x-0-2-2-0 x-x-0-2-2-0
D* 0-0-0-7-7-5 x-x-0-7-7-5 x-x-0-7-7-5
D* - this voicing is used fleetingly in the last bar (before the final chord)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Intro]
| D| % | G/D| D|
| D| % | % |
[Verse 1]
Oh, Dwhere have you been, my G/Dblue-eyed Dson?
And Dwhere have you been, my darling young Aone?
I’ve G/Dstumbled on the side of A/Dtwelve misty Dmountains
I’ve G/Dwalked and I’ve crawled on A/Dsix crooked Dhighways
I’ve G/Dstepped in the middle of A/Dseven sad Dforests
I’ve G/Dbeen out in front of a A/Ddozen dead Doceans
I’ve been G/Dten thousand miles in the A/Dmouth of a Dgraveyard
And it’s a Dhard, it’s a Ahard, it’s a Dhard, it’s a Ghard
D A[ D]
It’s a hard rai---n’s a-gonna fall
[Interlude]
| D| % | G| D| % | % | % |
[Verse 2]
Oh, Dwhat did you see, my Gblue-eyed Dson?
And Dwhat did you see, my darling young Aone?
I saw a G/Dnewborn baby with wild A/Dwolves all aDround it
I saw a G/Dhighway of diamonds with A/Dnobody Don it
I G/Dsaw a black branch with A/Dblood that kept Ddrippin’
I saw a G/Droom full of men with their A/Dhammers a-Dbleedin’
I G/Dsaw a white ladder all A/Dcovered with Dwater
I saw G/Dten thousand talkers whose A/Dtongues were all Dbroken
I saw G/Dguns and sharp swords in the A/Dhands of young Dchildren
And it’s a Dhard, it’s a Ahard, it’s a Dhard, and it’s a Ghard
D A[ D]
And it’s a hard rai---n’s a-gonna fall
[Interlude]
| D| % | G| D| % | % | % |
[Verse 3]
And Dwhat did you hear, my Gblue-eyed Dson?
And Dwhat did you hear, my darling young Aone?
I heard the G/Dsound of a thunder that A/Droared out a Dwarnin’
I heard the G/Droar of a wave that could A/Ddrown the whole Dworld
I heard G/Done hundred drummers whose A/Dhands were a-Dblazin’
I heard G/Dten thousand whisperin’ and A/Dnobody Dlistenin’
I heard G/Done person starve, I heard A/Dmany people Dlaughin’
I heard the G/Dsong of a poet who A/Ddied in the Dgutter
I heard the G/Dsound of a clown who A/Dcried in the Dalley
And it’s a Dhard, it’s a Ahard, it’s a Dhard, it’s a Ghard
D A[ D]
It’s a hard rai---n’s a-gonna fall
[Interlude]
| D| % | G| D| % | % | % |
[Verse 4]
Oh, Dwho did you meet, my Gblue-eyed Dson?
DWho did you meet, my darling young Aone?
I G/Dmet a young child beA/Dside a dead Dpony
I G/Dmet a white man who A/Dwalked a black Ddog
I G/Dmet a young woman, her A/Dbody was Dburning
I G/Dmet a young girl, she A/Dgave me a Drainbow
I G/Dmet one man who was A/Dwounded in Dlove
I G/Dmet another man who was A/Dwounded in Dhatred
And it’s a Dhard, it’s a Ahard, it’s a Dhard, it’s a Ghard
D A[ D]
It’s a hard rai---n’s a-gonna fall
[Interlude]
| D| % | G| D| % | % | % | % | % |
[Verse 5]
D G| D| G| D| % |
And, what’ll you do now, my blue-eyed son?
And, Dwhat’ll you do now, my darling young Aone?
I’m a-G/Dgoin’ back out ’fore the A/Drain starts a-Dfallin’
I’ll G/Dwalk to the depths of the A/Ddeepest dark Dforest
Where the G/Dpeople are many and their A/Dhands are all Dempty
Where the G/Dpellets of poison are A/Dflooding their Dwaters
Where the G/Dhome in the valley meets the A/Ddamp dirty Dprison
And the G/Dexecutioner’s face is A/Dalways well Dhidden
Where G/Dhunger is ugly, where the A/Dsouls are forDgotten
Where G/Dblack is the color, where A/Dnone is the Dnumber
And I’ll G/Dtell it and speak it and A/Dthink it and Dbreathe it
And G/Dreflect from the mountain so A/Dall souls can Dsee it
Then I’ll G/Dstand on the ocean unA/Dtil I start Dsinkin’
But I’ll G/Dknow my song well beA/Dfore I start Dsingin’
And it’s a Dhard, it’s a Ahard, it’s a Dhard, and it’s a Ghard
D A[ D]
It’s a hard rai---n’s a-gonna fall
[Coda]
| D| % | G| D| % | D* | D
(timing becomes fuzzy here)
The story behind the song
Bob Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, is an American singer-songwriter who has been a major figure in popular culture for over six decades. He is known for adding sophisticated lyrical techniques to folk music, infusing it with intellectualism and poetry. His breakthrough album, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963), included "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall," which adapted older folk songs. Dylan's lyrics often incorporate political, social, and philosophical influences.
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A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall
by Bob Dylan
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall – Bob Dylan
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Written by: Bob Dylan
From: "The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan" (1963)
Tabbed by: maguri
Tuning: Drop-D (D-A-D-G-B-e) + capo 2nd (= E-B-E-A-C#-f#) /
Standard (E-A-D-G-B-e)
or Standard with partial capo on strings 1-5 (E-B-E-A-C#-f#)
capo: 2nd fret
key: E
For chords in original key transpose these chords +2 to E.
These are the chords played on the studio version from “Freewheelin’”.
The key is E, but here I suggest using a Drop-D tuning with a capo 2nd fret.
Drop D is easy to do: Just tune down the 6th string (low E) down two steps
to D and leave the other strings as they are.
Tip: Partial capo
If you want that low root note on the D chord, like the one heard in Dylan’s
recording (which actually sounds as an E due to the capo), but without switching
to Drop D tuning:
Place a capo on the 2nd fret — but only on strings 1 through 5, leaving the
low E string open. Now, when you play a standard D voicing (0-0-0-2-3-2), you’ll
also get that low E root note. All other chord shapes can be played as usual.
To pull off this trick, you’ll need a capo that allows partial coverage —
meaning it only presses down on selected strings. Not all capos support this
setup. For example, a Shubb capo is perfect for this, as it allows selective
string clamping. On the other hand, traditional full-capos (like those that
clamp all six strings) won't allow you to isolate specific strings. There are,
however, many different kinds of partial capos available, allowing you to
experiment and unlock new sounds.
What makes Dylan's usage of Drop D tuning interesting is the continuous drone
in the verses. I made a quick demo recording, so you can hear what this
tab sounds like: https://soundcloud.com/maguri/a-hard-rains-a-gonna-fall
For novice players:
(1) Use Standard Tuning with the voicings suggested below.
(2) Additionally one could just leave out the notes after the slashes - instead
of G/D play a regular G shape, instead of A/D play a regular A. You can use
the "Simplify" button at the bottom of the screen to make the slash chords
disappear from the chord sheet.
Verse 4: Dylan actually sings "what did you meet" in the first line.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHORDS
with partial capo (strings 1-5)
Tuning Drop D Standard Standard
D-A-D-G-B-e E-A-D-G-B-e E-A-D-G-B-e
D 0-0-0-2-3-2 x-x-0-2-3-2 0-0-0-2-3-2
A 2-0-2-2-2(0) x-0-2-2-2-0 x-0-2-2-2-0
G (0)2-0-0-3-3 3-x-0-0-0-3 3-x-0-0-0-3
G/D 0-0-0-4-3-3 (actually: Gadd2/D) x-x-0-0-0-3 x-x-0-0-0-3
A/D 0-0-0-6-5-5 (actually: Aadd4/D) x-x-0-2-2-0 x-x-0-2-2-0
D* 0-0-0-7-7-5 x-x-0-7-7-5 x-x-0-7-7-5
D* - this voicing is used fleetingly in the last bar (before the final chord)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Intro]
D G/D D
| | % | | |
D
| | % | % |
[Verse 1]
D G/D D
Oh, where have you been, my blue-eyed son?
D A
And where have you been, my darling young one?
G/D A/D D
I’ve stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains
G/D A/D D
I’ve walked and I’ve crawled on six crooked highways
G/D A/D D
I’ve stepped in the middle of seven sad forests
G/D A/D D
I’ve been out in front of a dozen dead oceans
G/D A/D D
I’ve been ten thousand miles in the mouth of a graveyard
D A D G
And it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard
D A D
[ ]
It’s a hard rai---n’s a-gonna fall
[Interlude]
D G D
| | % | | | % | % | % |
[Verse 2]
D G D
Oh, what did you see, my blue-eyed son?
D A
And what did you see, my darling young one?
G/D A/D D
I saw a newborn baby with wild wolves all around it
G/D A/D D
I saw a highway of diamonds with nobody on it
G/D A/D D
I saw a black branch with blood that kept drippin’
G/D A/D D
I saw a room full of men with their hammers a-bleedin’
G/D A/D D
I saw a white ladder all covered with water
G/D A/D D
I saw ten thousand talkers whose tongues were all broken
G/D A/D D
I saw guns and sharp swords in the hands of young children
D A D G
And it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard, and it’s a hard
D A D
[ ]
And it’s a hard rai---n’s a-gonna fall
[Interlude]
D G D
| | % | | | % | % | % |
[Verse 3]
D G D
And what did you hear, my blue-eyed son?
D A
And what did you hear, my darling young one?
G/D A/D D
I heard the sound of a thunder that roared out a warnin’
G/D A/D D
I heard the roar of a wave that could drown the whole world
G/D A/D D
I heard one hundred drummers whose hands were a-blazin’
G/D A/D D
I heard ten thousand whisperin’ and nobody listenin’
G/D A/D D
I heard one person starve, I heard many people laughin’
G/D A/D D
I heard the song of a poet who died in the gutter
G/D A/D D
I heard the sound of a clown who cried in the alley
D A D G
And it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard
D A D
[ ]
It’s a hard rai---n’s a-gonna fall
[Interlude]
D G D
| | % | | | % | % | % |
[Verse 4]
D G D
Oh, who did you meet, my blue-eyed son?
D A
Who did you meet, my darling young one?
G/D A/D D
I met a young child beside a dead pony
G/D A/D D
I met a white man who walked a black dog
G/D A/D D
I met a young woman, her body was burning
G/D A/D D
I met a young girl, she gave me a rainbow
G/D A/D D
I met one man who was wounded in love
G/D A/D D
I met another man who was wounded in hatred
D A D G
And it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard
D A D
[ ]
It’s a hard rai---n’s a-gonna fall
[Interlude]
D G D
| | % | | | % | % | % | % | % |
[Verse 5]
D G D G D
| | | | % |
And, what’ll you do now, my blue-eyed son?
D A
And, what’ll you do now, my darling young one?
G/D A/D D
I’m a-goin’ back out ’fore the rain starts a-fallin’
G/D A/D D
I’ll walk to the depths of the deepest dark forest
G/D A/D D
Where the people are many and their hands are all empty
G/D A/D D
Where the pellets of poison are flooding their waters
G/D A/D D
Where the home in the valley meets the damp dirty prison
G/D A/D D
And the executioner’s face is always well hidden
G/D A/D D
Where hunger is ugly, where the souls are forgotten
G/D A/D D
Where black is the color, where none is the number
G/D A/D D
And I’ll tell it and speak it and think it and breathe it
G/D A/D D
And reflect from the mountain so all souls can see it
G/D A/D D
Then I’ll stand on the ocean until I start sinkin’
G/D A/D D
But I’ll know my song well before I start singin’
D A D G
And it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard, and it’s a hard
D A D
[ ]
It’s a hard rai---n’s a-gonna fall
[Coda]
D G D D D
| | % | | | % | * |
(timing becomes fuzzy here)
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About A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall Chords by Bob Dylan
Learn how to play A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall by Bob Dylan with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall chords”, “A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall guitar chords”, or “Bob Dylan A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall 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 A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall chords and for experienced players who want accurate A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include A, D, G, B, E, C.
FAQ — A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall by Bob Dylan
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