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Hard Times

Chords

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[Intro]
   G     G     Em     C(x6)
[Verse 1]
   GWhen I was young my daddy said, son
EmNever be ashamed of Cwhere you're from
   GThere's nothin' wrong with your last name
So Emdon't be lookin' for Cpeople to blame
   G'Cause hard times they come and they go
EmMost of the time they're in the Cmiddle of your road
   GSame pain in different ways
EmDon't you know, son, when it Cpours it rains
[Chorus]
GHard times,     Emin the Cmiddle of your road
GHard times, Emcreepin' up on the Cgood folks you know
GHard times, your Emdaddy wakes up, and you Clit the stove
GHard times, from the EmCalifornia Hills to the CCumberland Road
[Interlude]
F   C   Am  Bm  C  D
G   G   Em   C
[Verse 2]
   GYou got yours and I have mine
EmMostly good folks have Ctried and tried
   GTo make a livin' on your minimum wage
You're Emcomin' up short nearly Cevery day
   GAn' what's enough an' what's the cost
You Emcan't stand up 'cause Call is lost
   GYou roll us up and your doors are locked
There's a Empoor boy livin' on Cevery block
[Chorus]
GHard times,     Emin the Cmiddle of your road
GHard times, Emcreepin' up on the Cgood folks you know
GHard times, you're Emlivin' down, the Crest of you knows
GHard times, from the EmCalifornia Hills to the CCumberland Road
[Interlude]
F   C   Am  Bm  C  D
[Solo]
G   G   Em   C
G   G   Em   C
G   G   Em   C
G   G   Em   C
[Interlude]
F   C   Am  Bm  C  D
[Verse 3]
   GWhen I was young my daddy said, son
EmNever be ashamed of Cwhere you're from
   GThere's nothin' wrong with your last name
So Emdon't be lookin' for Cpeople to blame
   G'Cause hard times they come and they go
An' Emmost of the time they're in the Cmiddle of your road
   GIt's the same pain, different way
EmDon't you know, that when it Cpours it rains
   GAnd they'll always be around
EmFollowin' you from Ctown to town
But Gyou can get up when it puts you down
'Cause Emeverybody's got 'em if you Clook around
[Chorus]
GHard times,     Emin the Cmiddle of your road
GHard times, Emcreepin' up on the Cgood folks you know
GHard times, Emhuddlin' around a Cwood burnin' stove
GHard times, from the EmCalifornia Hills to the CCumberland GRoad

All chords in this song (7)

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Chord Book

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

Hard Times

by Ryan Bingham

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[Intro]

G G Em C

(x6)

[Verse 1]

When I was young my daddy said, son

Em C

Never be ashamed of where you're from

There's nothin' wrong with your last name

Em C

So don't be lookin' for people to blame

'Cause hard times they come and they go

Em C

Most of the time they're in the middle of your road

Same pain in different ways

Em C

Don't you know, son, when it pours it rains

[Chorus]

G Em C

Hard times, in the middle of your road

G Em C

Hard times, creepin' up on the good folks you know

G Em C

Hard times, your daddy wakes up, and you lit the stove

G Em C

Hard times, from the California Hills to the Cumberland Road

[Interlude]

F C Am Bm C D

G G Em C

[Verse 2]

You got yours and I have mine

Em C

Mostly good folks have tried and tried

To make a livin' on your minimum wage

Em C

You're comin' up short nearly every day

An' what's enough an' what's the cost

Em C

You can't stand up 'cause all is lost

You roll us up and your doors are locked

Em C

There's a poor boy livin' on every block

[Chorus]

G Em C

Hard times, in the middle of your road

G Em C

Hard times, creepin' up on the good folks you know

G Em C

Hard times, you're livin' down, the rest of you knows

G Em C

Hard times, from the California Hills to the Cumberland Road

[Interlude]

F C Am Bm C D

[Solo]

G G Em C

[Interlude]

F C Am Bm C D

[Verse 3]

When I was young my daddy said, son

Em C

Never be ashamed of where you're from

There's nothin' wrong with your last name

Em C

So don't be lookin' for people to blame

'Cause hard times they come and they go

Em C

An' most of the time they're in the middle of your road

It's the same pain, different way

Em C

Don't you know, that when it pours it rains

And they'll always be around

Em C

Followin' you from town to town

But you can get up when it puts you down

Em C

'Cause everybody's got 'em if you look around

[Chorus]

G Em C

Hard times, in the middle of your road

G Em C

Hard times, creepin' up on the good folks you know

G Em C

Hard times, huddlin' around a wood burnin' stove

G Em C G

Hard times, from the California Hills to the Cumberland Road

About Hard Times Chords by Ryan Bingham

Learn how to play Hard Times by Ryan Bingham with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Hard Times chords”, “Hard Times guitar chords”, or “Ryan Bingham Hard Times 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 Hard Times chords and for experienced players who want accurate Hard Times lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, Em, C, F, Am, Bm.

FAQ — Hard Times by Ryan Bingham

How do I play "Hard Times" by Ryan Bingham on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Hard Times" by Ryan Bingham 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 "Hard Times" by Ryan Bingham free?

Yes. The chords for "Hard Times" by Ryan Bingham are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Hard Times" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Hard Times"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Hard Times" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Hard Times" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Hard Times" by Ryan Bingham with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Ryan Bingham below.

What key is "Hard Times" in?

The chords for "Hard Times" show the original chord names (including G, Em, C, F, Am, Bm). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.