Now playing
Great White Hope
Chords
5.04 votes
Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams
Great White Hope - Styx (James Young, 1978)
Chorded By: Skidaddy, Esq., G.Q.
4/4 TIME (UON) @ 144 BPM (4 Min. 10 Sec.) in 'E'.
Chords Used:
-----------
GUITAR KEYBOARD
E A D G Be Bass| Chord
------------------ ---------------
E - 0 2 2 1 0 0 E B-E-G#
F#/E - 0 4 4 3 2 2 E A#-C#-F#
D/E - 0 0 0 2 3 2 E A-D-F#
G/E - 0 5 5 4 3 3 E B-D-G
G - 3 5 5 4 3 3 G B-D-G
A - 5 7 7 6 5 5 A A-C#-E
B - 7 9 9 8 7 7 B B-D#-F#
E/B - 7 7 9 9 9 7 B B-E-G#
A/B - 7 7 7 6 5 5 B A-C#-E
G/D - x 5 5 4 3 3 D B-D-G
D - x 5 7 7 7 5 D A-D-F#
A/E - 0 0 2 2 2 0 E A-C#-E
C/G - 3 3 2 0 1 0 G G-C-E
C# - x 4 6 6 6 4 C# G#-C#-F
B/C# - x 4 4 4 4 2 C# B-D#-F#
Dm - x 5 7 7 6 5 D A-D-F
C - x 3 5 5 5 3 C G-C-E
INTRO: [16.75 M] ** All 'INTRO' Lyrics Spoken -
-----
| E F#/E|… | E F#/E D/E|… |
Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, your attention
| E F#/E|… | E F#/E G/E|
please. In this corner, wearing white, from the city of
|… | E F#/E|… |
the big shoulders, the number one contender in a ten-round exhibition for
| E F#/E D/E|… | E F#/E|
your entertainment. So when the bell sounds, prepare your-
3/4 4/4
|… | G A| B|… |
-selves for the main… e-vent.
VERSE #1: [16 M]
--------
| B E/B A/B E/B|… A/B E/B| B E/B A/B G/D|
When… I… was… a young… man… I had to kick… and… scratch… and claw,…
|… D| B E/B A/B E/B|… A/B E/B|
now it's like top… gun… in the old West,… ev-'ry-
| B E/B A/B G/D|… D| E A/E D/E A/E|
-bo-dy wants… me… to draw… If I… had… known… it would
|… D/E A/E| E A/E D/E C/G|… G|
be like… this… I might have giv-en it a sec-… ond thought… But… if
| B E/B A/B E/B|… A/B E/B|
some-one had… told… me to give it up,… it's… a
| B E/B A/B G/D|… D|
line… that I would-n't have bought… Look at me,…
CHORUS #1: [16.75 M]
---------
| E F#/E|… | E F#/E D/E|… | E F#/E|
… I'm the great… white… hope… Can't you see…
|… | E F#/E A/E|… | E F#/E|… |
… I'm up a-gainst… the… ropes… Don't… you… know… it's so
3/4 4/4
| E F#/E D/E|… | E F#/E|… | G A|
hard… to… cope… when you feel… like the great… white…
| C| D|
hope…
GUITAR SOLO #1: [19.75 M (In 4/4)]
--------------
| B| D| B| D| B| D| C#| B/C#| C#| B/C#| C#| B/C#| C#| B/C#|
5/4 4/4
| Dm C C#| Dm C C#| Dm C C#| C| D|
CHORUS #2: [16.75 M]
---------
| E F#/E|… | E F#/E D/E|… | E F#/E|
… I'm the great… white… hope… Can't you see…
|… | E F#/E A/E|… | E F#/E|… |
… I'm up a-gainst… the… ropes… Don't… you… know… it's so
3/4 4/4
| E F#/E D/E|… | E F#/E|… | G A|
hard… to… cope… when you feel… like the great… white…
| B| D|
hope…
GUITAR SOLO #2: [8 M]
--------------
| B| D| B| D| B| D| B|… |
VERSE #2: [16 M]
--------
| B E/B A/B E/B|… A/B E/B| B E/B A/B G/D|
Now… you've… paid… your mon-ey,… you're sit-ting in… your… ring-… side seat,…
| G/D D| B E/B A/B E/B|… A/B E/B|
… and I know… that… some of you out… there,… might wan-na
| B E/B A/B G/D|… D| E A/E D/E A/E|
see… the… champ… get beat… If I… had… known… it would
|… D/E A/E| E A/E D/E C/G|… G|
be like… this… I might have giv-en it a sec-… ond thought… But
| B E/B A/B E/B|… A/B E/B|
real… life… sure is-n't… like… school,… there's… some
| B E/B A/B G/D|… D|
les-… sons that just can't be taught… Look at me,…
CHORUS #3: [16 M]
---------
| E F#/E|… | E F#/E D/E|… | E F#/E|
… I'm the great… white… hope… Can't you see…
|… | E F#/E A/E|… | E F#/E|… |
… I'm up a-gainst… the… ropes… Don't… you… know… it's so
| E F#/E D/E|… | E F#/E|… |
hard… to… cope… when you feel… like the
| E F#/E A/E|… |
great… white… hope… Look… at…
CODA: [24 M] 'Refrain' (Since the original fades out, just
---- hold the final 'A/E' chord to end.)
| E F#/E|… | E F#/E D/E|… |
me,… up a-gainst… the… ropes… Look… at…
| E F#/E|… | E F#/E A/E|… |
me,… it's so hard… to… cope… Look… at…
| E F#/E|… | E F#/E D/E|… |
me,… I'm the great… white… hope… Look… at…
| E F#/E|… | E F#/E A/E|… |
me,… up a-gainst… the… ropes… Look… at…
| E F#/E|… | E F#/E D/E|… |
me,… so hard… to… cope… Look… at…
| E F#/E|… | E F#/E A/E|… |
me,… I'm the great… white… hope…
All chords in this song (17)
🎸 Tips from players
Got a tip for playing this song — capo position, easier chords, strumming? Be the first to share one.
Chord Book
670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com
Great White Hope
by Styx
Chords in this song · guitar
E
A
D
G
B
F#/E
D/E
G/E
E/B
A/B
G/D
A/E
C/G
C
C#
B/C#
Dm
Great White Hope - Styx (James Young, 1978)
Chorded By: Skidaddy, Esq., G.Q.
4/4 TIME (UON) @ 144 BPM (4 Min. 10 Sec.) in 'E'.
Chords Used:
-----------
GUITAR KEYBOARD
E A D G B
e Bass| Chord
------------------ ---------------
E - 0 2 2 1 0 0 E B-E-G#
F#/E - 0 4 4 3 2 2 E A#-C#-F#
D/E - 0 0 0 2 3 2 E A-D-F#
G/E - 0 5 5 4 3 3 E B-D-G
G - 3 5 5 4 3 3 G B-D-G
A - 5 7 7 6 5 5 A A-C#-E
B - 7 9 9 8 7 7 B B-D#-F#
E/B - 7 7 9 9 9 7 B B-E-G#
A/B - 7 7 7 6 5 5 B A-C#-E
G/D - x 5 5 4 3 3 D B-D-G
D - x 5 7 7 7 5 D A-D-F#
A/E - 0 0 2 2 2 0 E A-C#-E
C/G - 3 3 2 0 1 0 G G-C-E
C# - x 4 6 6 6 4 C# G#-C#-F
B/C# - x 4 4 4 4 2 C# B-D#-F#
Dm - x 5 7 7 6 5 D A-D-F
C - x 3 5 5 5 3 C G-C-E
INTRO: [16.75 M] ** All 'INTRO' Lyrics Spoken -
-----
E F#/E E F#/E D/E
| |… | |… |
Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, your attention
E F#/E E F#/E G/E
| |… | |
please. In this corner, wearing white, from the city of
E F#/E
|… | |… |
the big shoulders, the number one contender in a ten-round exhibition for
E F#/E D/E E F#/E
| |… | |
your entertainment. So when the bell sounds, prepare your-
3/4 4/4
G A B
|… | | |… |
-selves for the main… e-vent.
VERSE #1: [16 M]
--------
B E/B A/B E/B A/B E/B B E/B A/B G/D
| |… | |
When… I… was… a young… man… I had to kick… and… scratch… and claw,…
D B E/B A/B E/B A/B E/B
|… | |… |
now it's like top… gun… in the old West,… ev-'ry-
B E/B A/B G/D D E A/E D/E A/E
| |… | |
-bo-dy wants… me… to draw… If I… had… known… it would
D/E A/E E A/E D/E C/G G
|… | |… |
be like… this… I might have giv-en it a sec-… ond thought… But… if
B E/B A/B E/B A/B E/B
| |… |
some-one had… told… me to give it up,… it's… a
B E/B A/B G/D D
| |… |
line… that I would-n't have bought… Look at me,…
CHORUS #1: [16.75 M]
---------
E F#/E E F#/E D/E E F#/E
| |… | |… | |
… I'm the great… white… hope… Can't you see…
E F#/E A/E E F#/E
|… | |… | |… |
… I'm up a-gainst… the… ropes… Don't… you… know… it's so
3/4 4/4
E F#/E D/E E F#/E G A
| |… | |… | |
hard… to… cope… when you feel… like the great… white…
C D
| | |
hope…
GUITAR SOLO #1: [19.75 M (In 4/4)]
--------------
B D B D B D C# B/C# C# B/C# C# B/C# C# B/C#
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5/4 4/4
Dm C C# Dm C C# Dm C C# C D
| | | | | |
CHORUS #2: [16.75 M]
---------
E F#/E E F#/E D/E E F#/E
| |… | |… | |
… I'm the great… white… hope… Can't you see…
E F#/E A/E E F#/E
|… | |… | |… |
… I'm up a-gainst… the… ropes… Don't… you… know… it's so
3/4 4/4
E F#/E D/E E F#/E G A
| |… | |… | |
hard… to… cope… when you feel… like the great… white…
B D
| | |
hope…
GUITAR SOLO #2: [8 M]
--------------
B D B D B D B
| | | | | | | |… |
VERSE #2: [16 M]
--------
B E/B A/B E/B A/B E/B B E/B A/B G/D
| |… | |
Now… you've… paid… your mon-ey,… you're sit-ting in… your… ring-… side seat,…
G/D D B E/B A/B E/B A/B E/B
| | |… |
… and I know… that… some of you out… there,… might wan-na
B E/B A/B G/D D E A/E D/E A/E
| |… | |
see… the… champ… get beat… If I… had… known… it would
D/E A/E E A/E D/E C/G G
|… | |… |
be like… this… I might have giv-en it a sec-… ond thought… But
B E/B A/B E/B A/B E/B
| |… |
real… life… sure is-n't… like… school,… there's… some
B E/B A/B G/D D
| |… |
les-… sons that just can't be taught… Look at me,…
CHORUS #3: [16 M]
---------
E F#/E E F#/E D/E E F#/E
| |… | |… | |
… I'm the great… white… hope… Can't you see…
E F#/E A/E E F#/E
|… | |… | |… |
… I'm up a-gainst… the… ropes… Don't… you… know… it's so
E F#/E D/E E F#/E
| |… | |… |
hard… to… cope… when you feel… like the
E F#/E A/E
| |… |
great… white… hope… Look… at…
CODA: [24 M] 'Refrain' (Since the original fades out, just
---- hold the final 'A/E' chord to end.)
E F#/E E F#/E D/E
| |… | |… |
me,… up a-gainst… the… ropes… Look… at…
E F#/E E F#/E A/E
| |… | |… |
me,… it's so hard… to… cope… Look… at…
E F#/E E F#/E D/E
| |… | |… |
me,… I'm the great… white… hope… Look… at…
E F#/E E F#/E A/E
| |… | |… |
me,… up a-gainst… the… ropes… Look… at…
E F#/E E F#/E D/E
| |… | |… |
me,… so hard… to… cope… Look… at…
E F#/E E F#/E A/E
| |… | |… |
me,… I'm the great… white… hope…
Get the free app — iPhone: The Chord Book on the App Store · Android: Free Chords on Google Play
Lyrics and compositions © their respective songwriters and publishers. Free for personal practice.
About Great White Hope Chords by Styx
Learn how to play Great White Hope by Styx with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Great White Hope chords”, “Great White Hope guitar chords”, or “Styx Great White Hope 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 Great White Hope chords and for experienced players who want accurate Great White Hope lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, E, A, D, B, F#/E.
FAQ — Great White Hope by Styx
How do I play "Great White Hope" by Styx on guitar?
Open the free chords for "Great White Hope" by Styx 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 "Great White Hope" by Styx free?
Yes. The chords for "Great White Hope" by Styx are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.
Can I transpose "Great White Hope" to a different key?
Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Great White Hope" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.
Can I see chord diagrams for "Great White Hope"?
Yes. Tap any chord in "Great White Hope" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.
Is "Great White Hope" easy to play on guitar?
Many players learn "Great White Hope" by Styx with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Styx below.
What key is "Great White Hope" in?
The chords for "Great White Hope" show the original chord names (including G, E, A, D, B, F#/E). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.