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I Shall Be Released

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I Shall Be Released
Arist: Nina Simone
Songwriter: Bob Dylan
From the album : To Love Somebody (1969)
Chord Voicings:
 F#m7- 242222
  Bm7- X24232
   E7- 022130
   A7- XXX989
  G#7- XXX878
   G7- XXX767
[Intro]
|   A|  F#m7|  Bm7|  E7|
|  A|  A7|  G#7|  G7|  A|  E|  A|
[Verse 1]
F#m7They say every man cBm7an be replacedC#m  Bm7  
TDhey say evE7ery distance Ais not near
ASo I rF#m7emember eBm7very face
DOf every mE7an who put me hAere
[Chorus]
AI see my lF#m7ight come shBm7iningC#m  Bm7  
FDrom the C#m7west unto the F#m7eaaaaaE7aaaaAst
AAny F#m7day now Bm7any day now
DI sE7hall be reAleased
[Verse 2]
   A  F#m7They say every Bm7man needs protectionC#m  Bm7  
TDhey say every E7man must fAall
ASo I F#m7swear I Bm7see my reflectionC#m  Bm7  
SDomewE7here insAide these wall
[Chorus]
AI see my lF#m7ight come shBm7iningC#m  Bm7  
FDrom the C#m7west unto the F#m7eaaaaaE7aaaaAst
AAny F#m7day now Bm7any day now
DI sE7hall be reAleased
[Verse 3]
  A       F#m7  Bm7Yonder stands a man in this lC#monely cBm7rowd
A mDan who sE7ays he's not to blAame
  A  F#m7All day long I hear him hBm7ollerC#ming Bm7so loud
JDust cE7rying out that hAe's not to blame
[Chorus]
AI see my lF#m7ight come shBm7iningC#m  Bm7  
FDrom the C#m7west unto the F#m7eaaaaaE7aaaaAst
AAny F#m7day now Bm7any day now
DI sE7hall be rDeleaAsed

All chords in this song (11)

The story behind the song

Nina Simone, known as the High Priestess of Soul, was a composer, concert pianist, singer, and songwriter whose music spanned classical, folk, gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, and pop. Her powerful contralto voice and expressive, jazz-like singing were often accompanied by piano playing strongly influenced by classical music. Though "I Shall Be Released" appears on her album Hits & Classics, at its heart, this song can feel like a deep yearning for freedom and peace.

AI-written from these sources:Nina Simone — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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Chord Book

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

I Shall Be Released

by Nina Simone

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

F#m7

Bm7

G#7

C#m

C#m7

I Shall Be Released

Arist: Nina Simone

Songwriter: Bob Dylan

From the album : To Love Somebody (1969)

Chord Voicings:

F#m7

- 242222

Bm7

- X24232

- 022130

- XXX989

G#7

- XXX878

- XXX767

[Intro]

A F#m7 Bm7 E7

| | | | |

A A7 G#7 G7 A E A

| | | | | | | |

[Verse 1]

F#m7 Bm7 C#m Bm7

They say every man can be replaced

D E7 A

They say every distance is not near

A F#m7 Bm7

So I remember every face

D E7 A

Of every man who put me here

[Chorus]

A F#m7 Bm7 C#m Bm7

I see my light come shining

D C#m7 F#m7 E7 A

From the west unto the eaaaaaaaaast

A F#m7 Bm7

Any day now any day now

D E7 A

I shall be released

[Verse 2]

A F#m7 Bm7 C#m Bm7

They say every man needs protection

D E7 A

They say every man must fall

A F#m7 Bm7 C#m Bm7

So I swear I see my reflection

D E7 A

Somewhere inside these wall

[Chorus]

A F#m7 Bm7 C#m Bm7

I see my light come shining

D C#m7 F#m7 E7 A

From the west unto the eaaaaaaaaast

A F#m7 Bm7

Any day now any day now

D E7 A

I shall be released

[Verse 3]

A F#m7 Bm7 C#m Bm7

Yonder stands a man in this lonely crowd

D E7 A

A man who says he's not to blame

A F#m7 Bm7 C#m Bm7

All day long I hear him hollering so loud

D E7 A

Just crying out that he's not to blame

[Chorus]

A F#m7 Bm7 C#m Bm7

I see my light come shining

D C#m7 F#m7 E7 A

From the west unto the eaaaaaaaaast

A F#m7 Bm7

Any day now any day now

D E7 D A

I shall be released

About I Shall Be Released Chords by Nina Simone

Learn how to play I Shall Be Released by Nina Simone with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “I Shall Be Released chords”, “I Shall Be Released guitar chords”, or “Nina Simone I Shall Be Released 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 I Shall Be Released chords and for experienced players who want accurate I Shall Be Released lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include F#m7, Bm7, E7, A7, G#7, G7.

FAQ — I Shall Be Released by Nina Simone

How do I play "I Shall Be Released" by Nina Simone on guitar?

Open the free chords for "I Shall Be Released" by Nina Simone 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 "I Shall Be Released" by Nina Simone free?

Yes. The chords for "I Shall Be Released" by Nina Simone are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "I Shall Be Released" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "I Shall Be Released"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "I Shall Be Released" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "I Shall Be Released" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "I Shall Be Released" by Nina Simone with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Nina Simone below.

What key is "I Shall Be Released" in?

The chords for "I Shall Be Released" show the original chord names (including F#m7, Bm7, E7, A7, G#7, G7). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.