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.

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.

Hard Times

Chords4.949 votes

Listen on

YouTube Spotify Apple Music

Font15

KeyOriginal

Chords

Scroll

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

HARD TIMES
                              Ray Charles
               Copyright 1961 Unichapell Music, Inc., BMI
              As recorded by Eric Clapton on "Journeyman"
   (Transcribed by Len Moskowitz: moskowit@panix.com, September 1997)
[Verse 1]
               D9 G#7
My mother told me
F#7
Before she passed away
     Bm           Bm7/Bb
Said son when I'm gone
D9       D7
Don't forget to pray
                   G         Abdim
'Cause there'll be hard times
           D9  C9 B9
Lord, those hard times
Bb7       A7           Dsus2  A7
Who knows better than I?
[Verse 2]
Well I soon found out
Just what she meant
When I had to pawn my clothes
Just to pay the rent
Talkin' 'bout hard times
Lord, those hard times
Bb7       A           D  A7
Who knows better than I?
[Sax solo/Guitar solo] 
D9         BmBm7D9D7
  G#7-F#7        
G  Abdim  D9  C9  B9  Bb7  A7  D  E9  Eb9
G  Abdim  D9  C9  B9  Bb7  A7
Bb7  A7  D  E9  Eb9
[Verse 3]
I had a woman
Who was always around
But when I lost my money
She put me down
Talkin' 'bout hard times
Hard times
      Bb7    A7              D F9       D9
                                 E9(2)  
Yeah, yeah, who knows better than I?
      F#7
Lord, one of these days
There'll be no more sorrow
When I pass away
And no more hard times
No more hard times
Yeah, yeah, who knows better than I?
(play single notes: E Eb A Db D and end on D9)

Hard Times chords and lyrics

Free chords for Hard Times by Eric Clapton. Scroll the interactive sheet above or read the chord names inline below.

HARD TIMES
                              Ray Charles
               Copyright 1961 Unichapell Music, Inc., BMI
              As recorded by Eric Clapton on "Journeyman"
   (Transcribed by Len Moskowitz: moskowit@panix.com, September 1997)
[Verse 1]
[Verse 2]
Well I soon found out
Just what she meant
When I had to pawn my clothes
Just to pay the rent
Talkin' 'bout hard times
Lord, those hard times
[Sax solo/Guitar solo] 
D9  G#7-F#7  Bm  Bm7  D9  D7
G  Abdim  D9  C9  B9  Bb7  A7  D  E9  Eb9
G  Abdim  D9  C9  B9  Bb7  A7  
Bb7  A7  D  E9  Eb9
[Verse 3]
I had a woman
Who was always around
But when I lost my money
She put me down
Talkin' 'bout hard times
Hard times
There'll be no more sorrow
When I pass away
And no more hard times
No more hard times
Yeah, yeah, who knows better than I?
(play single notes: E Eb A Db D and end on D9)

Hard Times Chords by Eric Clapton

Learn how to play Hard Times by Eric Clapton with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Hard Times chords”, “Hard Times guitar chords”, or “Eric Clapton 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 D9, G#7, F#7, Bm, Bm7/Bb, D7.

Frequently asked questions about Hard Times

How do I play "Hard Times" by Eric Clapton on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Hard Times" by Eric Clapton 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 Eric Clapton free?

Yes. The chords for "Hard Times" by Eric Clapton 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 Eric Clapton with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Eric Clapton below.

What key is "Hard Times" in?

The chords for "Hard Times" show the original chord names (including D9, G#7, F#7, Bm, Bm7/Bb, D7). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.