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Stand By Me

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Ben E. King
Stand By Me
BPM: 120
Capo: II
[Intro]
G       G       Em      Em
C       D       G       G
[Verse 1]
When the night      Ghas come                 G       Emand the land is darEmk
And the mo-    Con is the on-  Dly light we'll GseeG  
No, I wo -     Gn't be af-     Graid, no, I    Emwon't be afEmraid
Just as        Clong as you st-Dand, stand by  Gme      So Gdarlin', darlin'
[Chorus 1]
GStand by me,     Goh, Emstand by Emme
Oh, Cstand,     Dstand by meG, stand by meG  
[Verse 2]
  If the sky   Gthat we look upGon                 Emshould tumble and Emfall
Or the mount-Cains      should Dcrumble to the GseaG  
I won't cry,      GI won't cry,    Gno, I      Emwon't shed a Emtear
Just as long     Cas you stand,    Dstand by   Gme       And Gdarling, darling
[Chorus 2]
GStand by me,     Goh, Emstand by Emme
Oh, Cstand now,     Dstand by meG, stand by meG  
[Solo]
G       G       Em      Em
C       D       G       G
G       G       Em      Em
        C          D          G  GDarling, darling
[Chorus 3]
GStand by me,     Goh, Emstand by Emme
Oh, Cstand now, stand Dby me, stand Gby me
WhenGever you're in trouble won't you
GStand by me,     Goh, Emstand by Emme
Oh, Cstand now,   oh, Dstand, stand by Gme
(fade out)

The story behind the song

"Stand By Me" was originally recorded by American singer-songwriter Ben E. King in 1961, who also co-wrote it with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. King shared that the song's title was inspired by a spiritual called "Stand by Me Father." This iconic song has been recorded over 500 times by various artists and was notably featured in the 1986 film Stand by Me. Its enduring popularity also saw it used in a 1987 European commercial, contributing to its significant success.

AI-written from these sources:Stand by Me (Ben E. King song) — Wikipedia ↗Ben E. King — Wikipedia ↗

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Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

Stand By Me

by Ben E. King

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Ben E. King

Stand By Me

BPM: 120

Capo: II

[Intro]

G G Em Em

C D G G

[Verse 1]

G G Em Em

When the night has come and the land is dark

C D G G

And the mo- on is the on- ly light we'll see

G G Em Em

No, I wo - n't be af- raid, no, I won't be afraid

C D G G

Just as long as you st-and, stand by me So darlin', darlin'

[Chorus 1]

G G Em Em

Stand by me, oh, stand by me

C D G G

Oh, stand, stand by me, stand by me

[Verse 2]

G G Em Em

If the sky that we look upon should tumble and fall

C D G G

Or the mount-ains should crumble to the sea

G G Em Em

I won't cry, I won't cry, no, I won't shed a tear

C D G G

Just as long as you stand, stand by me And darling, darling

[Chorus 2]

G G Em Em

Stand by me, oh, stand by me

C D G G

Oh, stand now, stand by me, stand by me

[Solo]

G G Em Em

C D G G

G G Em Em

C D G G

Darling, darling

[Chorus 3]

G G Em Em

Stand by me, oh, stand by me

C D G

Oh, stand now, stand by me, stand by me

Whenever you're in trouble won't you

G G Em Em

Stand by me, oh, stand by me

C D G

Oh, stand now, oh, stand, stand by me

(fade out)

About Stand By Me Chords by Ben E. King

Learn how to play Stand By Me by Ben E. King with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Stand By Me chords”, “Stand By Me guitar chords”, or “Ben E. King Stand By Me 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 Stand By Me chords and for experienced players who want accurate Stand By Me lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include E, G, Em, C, D.

FAQ — Stand By Me by Ben E. King

How do I play "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King 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 "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King free?

Yes. The chords for "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Stand By Me" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Stand By Me" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Stand By Me"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Stand By Me" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Stand By Me" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Ben E. King below.

What key is "Stand By Me" in?

The chords for "Stand By Me" show the original chord names (including E, G, Em, C, D). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.