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H
GUITAR CHORDS

Hurt

Johnny Cash
All-time classics Acoustic favorites Singer-songwriter & folk Slow & emotional
KeyAm
Capo—
LevelEasy
Transpose Am 0
Text
Chord sheet
Chords are positioned above the lyric change point
Note: to play the chorus correctly and simulate the piano playing, keep the G on the third fret of the
high e string fretted with your pinky. This makes the chords G major, Am7, Fadd9, and C major. I also
suggest playing a Hendrix Fadd9, so wrap your thumb and play 1st fret low E string:
 
Am7 x-0-2-2-1-3
Fadd9 1-x-3-2-1-3
C x-3-2-0-1-3
G 3-x-0-0-0-3
 
The strum pattern for Intro/Verse/Transition is picked for the downs and strummed for the ups.
I suggest picking the A and D strings, and then up strum.
 
 

Intro

AmCDAmCD
 
 

Verse 1

AmCDAmCDAm
I hurt myself today to see if I still feel
CDAmCDAm
I focus on the pain the only thing that's real
CDAmCDAm
The needle tears a hole the old familiar sting
CDAmCDG
Try to kill it all away but I remember everything
 
 

Chorus 1

AmFCG
What have I become? My sweetest friend
AmFCG
Everyone I know goes away in the end
AmFGG
And you could have it all My empire of dirt
AmFGAm
I will let you down I will make you hurt
 
 

Transition

AmCDAmCD
 
 

Verse 2

AmCDAmCDAm
I wear this crown of thorns upon my liar's chair
CDAmCDAm
Full of broken thoughts I cannot repair
CDAmCDAm
Beneath the stains of time the feelings disappear
CDAmCDG
You are someone else I am still right here
 
 

Chorus 2

AmFCG
What have I become? My sweetest friend
AmFCG
Everyone I know goes away in the end
AmFGG
And you could have it all My empire of dirt
AmFGG
I will let you down I will make you hurt
 
 

Outro

AmFGG
If I could start again a million miles away
AmFG
I would keep myself I would find a way
(single strum)
End

How to play Hurt chords

This Chordsurf arrangement of Hurt by Johnny Cash is presented in the key of Am. Use the transpose controls above the sheet to move every chord together while keeping the lyric-change positions aligned.

The page is set up for practice as well as quick reference: adjust the text size, use auto scroll when your hands are busy, or switch to focus mode for a cleaner playing view. The published arrangement uses 5 distinct chord shapes, including Am, C, D, G, F. You can also explore related material through All-time classics, Acoustic favorites, Singer-songwriter & folk.