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Its A Hard Life

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Gmajor

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#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
IT'S A HARD LIFE WHEREVER YOU GO (Nanci Griffith)
-------------------------------------------------
*  Actually in C; capo 5.
*  The whole song has pretty much the same chords, illustrated by the
following pattern (the strumming is just an example, taken from the intro).
The only exception is the beginning of the chorus.
E D0h2-2-2-2-2-C(9)3---3-3-3-3-|G3---3-3-3---3-----3-3-3-|
B 3---3-3-3-3-3---3-3-3-3-|3---3-3-3---3-----3-3-3-|
G 2---2-2-2-2-0---0-0-0-0-|0---0-0-0---0-----0-0-0-|
D 0---0-0-0-0-0h2-2-2-2-2-|0---0-0-0---0-----0-0-0-|
A ------------0h3-3-3-3-3-|0h2-2-2-2---2-----2-2-2-|
E ------------------------|0h3-3-3-3---3-----3-3-3-|
  d   d u d u d   d u d u  d   d u d   d     u d u    <--strumming
  D    C(9)    G      G    D  C(9)    G  G  
[intro]
I am a bDackseat drC(9)iver from AmGericaG  
We Ddrive to the lC(9)eft on Falls GRoadG  
And the Dman at the whC(9)eel's name is SeGamusG  
We pass a Dchild on the cC(9)orner he knoGwsG  
And Seamus says, now what chance has that kid got
And I say from the back, I don't know
He says there's barbed wire at all of these exits
And there ain't no place in Belfast for that kid to go
                            C(9)                   G  C(9)      G  
'Cause it's a hard life, it's a hard life, it's a very hard life
It's a Dhard life wherC(9)ever you gGoG  
And if we Dpoison our chiC(9)ldren with hGatredG  
Then the Dhard life is aC(9)ll that they'll knoGwG  
And there ain't nDo place in BeC(9)lfast for that kGid to goG  
Cafeteria line in Chicago
The fat man in front of me
Is calling black people trash to his children
And he's the only trash here I see
And I am thinking this man wears a white hood
In the night when his children should sleep
But they'll slip to their windows and they'll see him
And they'll think that white hood's all they need
'Cause it's a hard life, it's a hard life, it's a very hard life
It's a hard life wherever you go
And if we poison our children with hatred
Then the hard life is all that they'll know
And there ain't no place in Chicago for those kids to go
I was a child in the Sixties
When dreams could be held through T.V.
With Disney and Cronkite and Martin Luther
And I believed, I believed, I believed
Now I am the backseat driver from America
And I am not at the wheel of control
And I am guilty, I am war, and I am the root of all evil
Lord, and I can't drive on the left side of the road
'Cause it's a hard life, it's a hard life, it's a very hard life
It's a hard life wherever you go
And if we poison our children with hatred
Then the hard life is all that they'll know
And there ain't no place in this world for those kids to go
'Cause it's a hard life wherever you go
played these chords over Nanci's D C G sequence (NO capo for Frank's
chords)...
G: x-x-12-12-10-10    F: x-x-10-10-8-8    C: x-x-5-5-5-3
                                        (also xx5533 for C)

All chords in this song (5)

Open

32OOO3

Major chord - Happy, bright sound

✕ Mute Open Press

Skill · find home

G major

This shape is home. Capo 5 makes it sound in C major. End the line on this chord.

Its A Hard Life

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Its A Hard Life

by Nanci Griffith

Lyrics & chords · Original key · Capo on fret 5 (as written in this song)

Chords in this song · guitar

C(9)

#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#

#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##

IT'S A HARD LIFE WHEREVER YOU GO (Nanci Griffith)

-------------------------------------------------

* Actually in C; capo 5.

* The whole song has pretty much the same chords, illustrated by the

following pattern (the strumming is just an example, taken from the intro).

The only exception is the beginning of the chorus.

D C(9) G

E 0h2-2-2-2-2-3---3-3-3-3-|3---3-3-3---3-----3-3-3-|

B 3---3-3-3-3-3---3-3-3-3-|3---3-3-3---3-----3-3-3-|

G 2---2-2-2-2-0---0-0-0-0-|0---0-0-0---0-----0-0-0-|

D 0---0-0-0-0-0h2-2-2-2-2-|0---0-0-0---0-----0-0-0-|

A ------------0h3-3-3-3-3-|0h2-2-2-2---2-----2-2-2-|

E ------------------------|0h3-3-3-3---3-----3-3-3-|

d d u d u d d u d u d d u d d u d u <--strumming

D C(9) G G D C G G

(9)

[intro]

D C(9) G G

I am a backseat driver from America

D C(9) G G

We drive to the left on Falls Road

D C(9) G G

And the man at the wheel's name is Seamus

D C(9) G G

We pass a child on the corner he knows

And Seamus says, now what chance has that kid got

And I say from the back, I don't know

He says there's barbed wire at all of these exits

And there ain't no place in Belfast for that kid to go

C(9) G C G

(9)

'Cause it's a hard life, it's a hard life, it's a very hard life

D C(9) G G

It's a hard life wherever you go

D C(9) G G

And if we poison our children with hatred

D C(9) G G

Then the hard life is all that they'll know

D C(9) G G

And there ain't no place in Belfast for that kid to go

Cafeteria line in Chicago

The fat man in front of me

Is calling black people trash to his children

And he's the only trash here I see

And I am thinking this man wears a white hood

In the night when his children should sleep

But they'll slip to their windows and they'll see him

And they'll think that white hood's all they need

'Cause it's a hard life, it's a hard life, it's a very hard life

It's a hard life wherever you go

And if we poison our children with hatred

Then the hard life is all that they'll know

And there ain't no place in Chicago for those kids to go

I was a child in the Sixties

When dreams could be held through T.V.

With Disney and Cronkite and Martin Luther

And I believed, I believed, I believed

Now I am the backseat driver from America

And I am not at the wheel of control

And I am guilty, I am war, and I am the root of all evil

Lord, and I can't drive on the left side of the road

'Cause it's a hard life, it's a hard life, it's a very hard life

It's a hard life wherever you go

And if we poison our children with hatred

Then the hard life is all that they'll know

And there ain't no place in this world for those kids to go

'Cause it's a hard life wherever you go

played these chords over Nanci's D C G sequence (NO capo for Frank's

chords)...

G F C

: x-x-12-12-10-10 : x-x-10-10-8-8 : x-x-5-5-5-3

(also xx5533 for )

About Its A Hard Life Chords by Nanci Griffith

Learn how to play Its A Hard Life by Nanci Griffith with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Its A Hard Life chords”, “Its A Hard Life guitar chords”, or “Nanci Griffith Its A Hard Life 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 Its A Hard Life chords and for experienced players who want accurate Its A Hard Life lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include A, C, D, C(9), G, E.

FAQ — Its A Hard Life by Nanci Griffith

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The chords for "Its A Hard Life" show the original chord names (including A, C, D, C(9), G, E). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.