Is Free Chord Book really free?

Yes. Free Chord Book is 100% free with no sign-up required. Access 670,000+ guitar chords, tabs, and lyrics for every song you want to learn.

How do I transpose chords to a different key?

Open any song and use the transpose buttons to move every chord up or down by half-steps. Perfect for singers who need a different key or capo players.

Can I see chord diagrams while I play?

Yes. Tap any chord in a song to instantly see its interactive guitar chord diagram, including alternate fingerings and variations.

What's the difference between guitar chords and guitar tabs?

Chords show you which strings to strum together (great for rhythm playing and singing). Tabs (tablature) show you exact note-by-note fingerings, which is great for solos, riffs, and fingerpicking.

Does Free Chord Book work on mobile?

Yes. Free Chord Book is fully responsive and works on phones, tablets, and desktops. Use auto-scroll to play hands-free. There is also a free iPhone app (The Chord Book) and Android app (Free Chords).

Is there an iPhone or Android app?

Yes. Download The Chord Book on the Apple App Store and Free Chords on Google Play. Same 670,000+ songs, transpose, tuner, and auto-scroll — 100% free.

Can I print guitar chords?

Yes. Open any song and tap the Print button next to Save. You'll get a branded chord sheet with the Chord Book logo, ready for practice.

Is there a built-in guitar tuner?

Yes. Free Chord Book includes a free online guitar tuner that uses your microphone and YIN pitch detection for accurate tuning in standard and alternate tunings.

How many songs are available?

Over 670,000 songs with chords, tabs, and lyrics — covering every genre, from rock and pop to country, indie, folk, and Hebrew songs.

Is Free Chord Book a good alternative to Ultimate Guitar?

Yes. Free Chord Book is a fast, ad-free, 100% free alternative to Ultimate Guitar with interactive chord diagrams, instant transpose, auto-scroll, and a built-in tuner — no account required.

SavedFavorites

Once I Was

Chords

4.79 votes

Listen

YouTubeYouTube SpotifySpotify AppleApple Music

Font15

KeyOriginal

Chords

Scroll

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

Once I Was
Music & Lyrics by Tim Buckley
As Performed by Jeff Buckley
Concert: Tim Buckley Tribute Concert,
Venue: St. Ann's Church, New York
Date: 26th April 1991.
[Intro]
|  D|  Gmaj7|
|  D|  D7|  Gmaj7|
|  D|  D7|  Gmaj7|
|  D|  D7|  Gmaj7|
[Verse 1]
ODnce i was a sGmaj7oldier
ADnd i fought on foreign Gmaj7sands for you
ODnce i was a Gmaj7hunter
ADnd i brought home Gmaj7fresh meat for you
ODnce i was a Gmaj7lover
ADnd i searched behind your Gmaj7eyes for you
ADnd soon there'll be aGmaj7nother
DTo tell you I Gmaj7was just a lie
[Chorus]
BmSometimes I wGonder
Just for a wAhile
BmDo you ever remember AmeBm  
[Interlude]
|  D|  D7|   Gmaj7|
|  D|  Gmaj7|
[Verse 2]
ADnd though you have foGmaj7rgotten
DAll of our rGmaj7ubbish dreams
DI find myself sGmaj7earching
ThDrough the ashes of our Gmaj7ruins
[Bridge]
FDor the days when we sGmaj7miled
ADnd the hours that ran Gmaj7wild
WDith the magic of our Gmaj7eyes
ADnd the silence of our Gmaj7words
[Chorus]
N.C
And sometimes i wonder
N.C
Just for a while
N.C
Will you remember me

All chords in this song (6)

🎸 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

Once I Was

by Jeff Buckley

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Gmaj7

Once I Was

Music & Lyrics by Tim Buckley

As Performed by Jeff Buckley

Concert: Tim Buckley Tribute Concert,

Venue: St. Ann's Church, New York

Date: 26th April 1991.

[Intro]

D Gmaj7

| | |

D D7 Gmaj7

| | | |

D D7 Gmaj7

| | | |

D D7 Gmaj7

| | | |

[Verse 1]

D Gmaj7

Once i was a soldier

D Gmaj7

And i fought on foreign sands for you

D Gmaj7

Once i was a hunter

D Gmaj7

And i brought home fresh meat for you

D Gmaj7

Once i was a lover

D Gmaj7

And i searched behind your eyes for you

D Gmaj7

And soon there'll be another

D Gmaj7

To tell you I was just a lie

[Chorus]

Bm G

Sometimes I wonder

Just for a while

Bm A Bm

Do you ever remember me

[Interlude]

D D7 Gmaj7

| | | |

D Gmaj7

| | |

[Verse 2]

D Gmaj7

And though you have forgotten

D Gmaj7

All of our rubbish dreams

D Gmaj7

I find myself searching

D Gmaj7

Through the ashes of our ruins

[Bridge]

D Gmaj7

For the days when we smiled

D Gmaj7

And the hours that ran wild

D Gmaj7

With the magic of our eyes

D Gmaj7

And the silence of our words

[Chorus]

N.C

And sometimes i wonder

N.C

Just for a while

N.C

Will you remember me

About Once I Was Chords by Jeff Buckley

Learn how to play Once I Was by Jeff Buckley with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Once I Was chords”, “Once I Was guitar chords”, or “Jeff Buckley Once I Was 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 Once I Was chords and for experienced players who want accurate Once I Was lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include D, Gmaj7, D7, Bm, G, A.

FAQ — Once I Was by Jeff Buckley

How do I play "Once I Was" by Jeff Buckley on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Once I Was" by Jeff Buckley 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 "Once I Was" by Jeff Buckley free?

Yes. The chords for "Once I Was" by Jeff Buckley are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Once I Was" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Once I Was"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Once I Was" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Once I Was" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Once I Was" by Jeff Buckley with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Jeff Buckley below.

What key is "Once I Was" in?

The chords for "Once I Was" show the original chord names (including D, Gmaj7, D7, Bm, G, A). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.