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Life In Prison

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Cmajor

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

[Intro]  C  F  
[Verse 1]
The jury Ffound the verdict first Cdegree
They swore I planned her death to Fbe
I prayed they'd sentence me to Cdie
But they wanted me to live and I know Fwhy
[Chorus]
So I'd do Flife in prison for the Cwrongs I've done
And I pray every night for death to Fcome
My life will be a burden every Cday
If I could die, my pain might go Faway
[Instrumental]  F   C   C     Fx2
[Verse 2]
With trembling Fhands I killed my darling Cwife
Because I loved her more than Flife
My love for her will last a long, long Ctime
But I'd rather die than live to lose my Fmind
[Chorus]
And I'll do Flife in prison for the Cwrongs I've done
And I pray every night for death to Fcome
My life will be a burden every Cday
If I could die, my pain might go Faway
If I could Cdie, my pain might go Faway.C..F  

All chords in this song (2)

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Life In Prison

by The Byrds

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

C F

[Intro]

[Verse 1]

F C

The jury found the verdict first degree

They swore I planned her death to be

I prayed they'd sentence me to die

But they wanted me to live and I know why

[Chorus]

F C

So I'd do life in prison for the wrongs I've done

And I pray every night for death to come

My life will be a burden every day

If I could die, my pain might go away

F C C F

[Instrumental] x2

[Verse 2]

F C

With trembling hands I killed my darling wife

Because I loved her more than life

My love for her will last a long, long time

But I'd rather die than live to lose my mind

[Chorus]

F C

And I'll do life in prison for the wrongs I've done

And I pray every night for death to come

My life will be a burden every day

If I could die, my pain might go away

C F C F

If I could die, my pain might go away...

About Life In Prison Chords by The Byrds

Learn how to play Life In Prison by The Byrds with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Life In Prison chords”, “Life In Prison guitar chords”, or “The Byrds Life In Prison 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 Life In Prison chords and for experienced players who want accurate Life In Prison lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C, F.

FAQ — Life In Prison by The Byrds

How do I play "Life In Prison" by The Byrds on guitar?

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Are the chords for "Life In Prison" by The Byrds free?

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Can I transpose "Life In Prison" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Life In Prison"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Life In Prison" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Life In Prison" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Life In Prison" by The Byrds with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by The Byrds below.

What key is "Life In Prison" in?

The chords for "Life In Prison" show the original chord names (including C, F). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.