Aug132021

Ben Platt – Dark Times Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

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These are the chords for Dark Times by Ben Platt on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard.

[Verse 1]
C    G/B   Am
13 is hard enough
Dm C    G/B
So busy growing up
 C                 G/B
Now you’re sitting on a
 Am     G      F
secret no one knows
C   G/B     Am
You see him after school
Dm    C   G/B
He barely looks at you
              C    G/B
‘Cause you’re both afraid
      Am     G        F
 that people might suppose

[Pre-Chorus]
     F
I’ll see you in the mirror
              Em
 when you’re older
    F
For now just keep your
                Gsus4      G
head up on your shoulders

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[Chorus]
C                 G
Life goes too fast
F
Heart breaks in two
C                     G
Tough times don’t last
Gsus4
Tough people do
Am                  G
So wipe those tears from
      F
 your crying eyes
           F
‘Cause you only see the
 C/E   Gsus4
 light shine in dark times

[Instrumental]
C G F  x2

[Verse 2]
C  G/B  Am
18, you fall in love
Dm    C       G/B
You think you found the one
       C         G/B   Am
And he calls you up to say
         G       F
 there’s someonе else
C     G/B     Am
Feels like thе world’s in flames
Dm    C      G/B
You give yourself the blame
           C       G/B
‘Cause the landing wasn’t
 Am        G       F
worth how hard you fell

Feel free to use our free Chord Shape Generator to see every chord in this song on guitar, ukulele and piano.

[Pre-Chorus]
     F
I’ll see you in the mirror
             Em
 when you’re older
    F
For now just keep your
                 Gsus4      G
head up on your shoulders

[Chorus]
C                 G
Life goes too fast
F
Heart breaks in two
C                     G
Tough times don’t last
Gsus4
Tough people do
Am                  G
So wipe those tears from
      F
 your crying eyes
           F
‘Cause you only see the
  C/E   Gsus4
 light shine in dark times

[Post-Chorus]
C  G  F                C  G  F
Oh-oh-oh, in dark times
C  G  F                C  G  F
Oh-oh-oh, in dark times

[Verse 3]
C    G/B Am
We’re 27 now
  Dm  C       G/B
Don’t have it figured out
       C        G/B
But at least no one can
 Am     G       F
 say we haven’t grown
C     G/B     Am
Scars turn to memories
Dm   C       G/B
They keep us company
         C       G/B
But it’s nice to know
       Am     G    F      G
we’re not in this alone

[Chorus]
C                 G
Life goes too fast
F
Heart breaks in two
C                     G
Tough times don’t last
Gsus4
Tough people do
Am                  G
So wipe those tears from
      F
 your crying eyes
           F
‘Cause you only see the
 C/E   Gsus4
light shine in dark times
    F            C/E
You only see the light
 G                  C
 shine in dark times

How to play Dark Times: key, chords and progression

To play Dark Times by Ben Platt, think in C major (no sharps or flats). It takes 9 chords: C, G/B, Am, Dm, G, F, Em, Gsus4 and C/E.

Listen for C – G – F – C (I – V – IV – I in C major): the song comes back to it again and again. In solfa, that is doh – soh – fah – doh. Once these 4 changes are comfortable, most of the song is done.

Beginner-friendly: almost every chord is an open chord on guitar, so you can play it without a capo or barre chords.