Ben E. King – Stand By Me Piano & Ukulele Chord Progression and Tab

Ben E. King – Stand By Me Piano & Ukulele Chord Progression and Tab

ChordsAF#mDE

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This is the chords of Stand By Me by Ben E. King on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar and Keyboard.

[Intro]
A F#m D E A

[Verse 1]
A
When the night has come
F#m
And the land is dark
D                             E                A
And the moon is the only light we’ll see
A
No, I won’t be afraid,
F#m
No, I won’t be afraid
D               E                             A
Just as long as you stand, stand by me.

[Chorus]
A
So, darling, darling, stand by me,
F#m
Oh, stand by me.
D        E               A
Oh, stand, stand by me,
Stand by me.

[Verse 2]
A
If the sky that we look upon
F#m
Should tumble and fall
D                             E                             A
Or the mountain should crumble to the sea,
A
I won’t cry, I won’t cry,
F#m
No, I won’t shed a tear
D               E                             A
Just as long as you stand, stand by me.

[Chorus]
A
And darling, darling, stand by me,
F#m
Oh, stand by me.
D               E               A
Oh, stand now, stand by me,
Stand by me.
A F#m D E A x2

[Chorus]
A
So, darling, darling, stand by me,
F#m
Oh, stand by me.
D                             E
Oh, stand now, stand by me,
A
Stand by me.
A                                                                                   F#m
Whenever you’re in trouble won’t you stand by me, oh, stand by me
D                             E                             A
Oh, stand now, oh, stand, stand by me

How to play Stand By Me: key, chords and progression

Stand By Me by Ben E. King is in the key of A major (three sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯). The song uses 4 chords: A, F#m, D and E.

The backbone of the song is A – F#m – D – E (I – vi – IV – V in A major), the classic 1950s “doo-wop” progression. In solfa, that is doh – lah – fah – soh. Practise these 4 changes until they feel natural and you can play most of it.

Easier on guitar: put a capo on the 2nd fret and play the shapes G, Em, C, D (100% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 75% without a capo). It sounds exactly the same.

Chord diagrams

A chord on guitar (x02220)
AA C♯ E
F#m chord on guitar (244222)
F♯mF♯ A C♯
D chord on guitar (xx0232)
DD F♯ A
E chord on guitar (022100)
EE G♯ B

Need another chord or a different shape? Feel free to use our free Chord Shape Generator.

Stand By Me chords: questions

What key is Stand By Me in?

Stand By Me by Ben E. King is in the key of A major (three sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯).

What chords are in Stand By Me?

Stand By Me uses 4 chords: A, F#m, D, E.

What is the chord progression of Stand By Me?

The main progression is A – F#m – D – E (I – vi – IV – V), the classic 1950s “doo-wop” progression.

Is Stand By Me easy to play on guitar?

Yes, with a capo: put a capo on the 2nd fret and play the shapes G, Em, C, D (100% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 75% without a capo).

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