Nov82024

Hardin & York – Cant Keep A Good Man Down Chords on Piano & Ukulele

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[Intro]
Am F#m7 Fmaj7/A E
Am F#m7 Fmaj7/A E
Am F#m7 Fmaj7/A E


[Verse 1]
Am      F#m7
  He's eleven,
he's gonna
Fmaj7/A      E
ride in your head,
Am      F#m7
 Try to make it so
 they
Fmaj7/A     E
label you dead,
Am
  Goodbye, forty
F#m7
dimes make a
dollar,
Fmaj7/A
make a dollar
   E
or two,
Am         F#m7
 Feel a success
 to fight,
     Fmaj7/A   E
 but heaven is you.

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[Verse 2]
Am         F#m7
 Saved our best of,
 cannot
Fmaj7/A       E
sentence just you,
Am
 And I'm much
F#m7
easier just
   Fmaj7/A E
to imitate you,
Am          F#m7
 Findin’ it safer
just a
Fmaj7/A         E
playing a young game,
Am               F#m7
 But surely it's safe
but it just
Fmaj7/A
don't feel the
E    F#m  G#m
same.


[Chorus]
Am           F#m7
Can't keep a good
man down,
Fmaj7/A
 and too
   E E F#m G#m
long,
Am           F#m7
Can't keep a good
 man down,
Fmaj7/A
 and too
   E  E F#m G#m
long,
Am
Can't keep a
F#m7
good man
     Fmaj7/A  E
down, too long.


[Verse 3]
Am
 Mama said when
F#m7
I was a
child, and the
Fmaj7/A  E
story  began,
Am       F#m7
Overcome every
step that you
Fmaj7/A      E
know, you're a man,
Am
 With my pride in my
F#m7
pocket, laying
Fmaj7/A      E
there on the ground,
Am
 Got my ticket to
F#m7
heaven, but
Fmaj7/A
Lord knows where
    E    E F#m  G#m
I'm down.


[Chorus]
Am           F#m7
Can't keep a good
man down,
Fmaj7/A
 and too
   E E F#m G#m
long,
Am           F#m7
Can't keep a good
man down,
Fmaj7/A     E   E F#m G#m
 and too long,
Am           F#m7
Can't keep a good
man down,
Fmaj7/A  E  E F#m G#m
 too long.


[Instrument]
Am   F#m7  Fmaj7/A  E
Am   F#m7  Fmaj7/A  E
Am   F#m7  Fmaj7/A  E
Am   F#m7  Fmaj7/A  E
Am   F#m7  Fmaj7/A  E
Am   F#m7  Fmaj7/A  E
Am   F#m7  Fmaj7/A  E
Am   F#m7  Fmaj7/A  Fmaj7/A
Am   F#m7  Fmaj7/A  E
Am   F#m7  Fmaj7/A  E
Am   F#m7  Fmaj7/A  E


[Verse 4]
Am
 Well I fought
    F#m7
and danced, a
Fmaj7/A
shot seen better
E
price,
Am
 In the pocket of a
F#m7
rich man, of the
Fmaj7/A     E
Lord of the Lam,
Am
 Now I’m standing so
F#m7
helpless, and you
Fmaj7/A        E
take me by the hand,
Am           F#m7
 I’ve got no money,
 but I just
Fmaj7/A
know you’ll all
     E    E F#m  G#m
understand.


[Chorus]
Am
Can't keep a
F#m7
good man down,
Fmaj7/A     E  E F#m G#m
 and too long,
Am           F#m7
Can't keep a good
 man down,
Fmaj7/A     E E F#m G#m
 and too long,
Am
Can't keep a
F#m7
good man down,
Fmaj7/A  E  E F#m G#m
 too long.

[Outro]
Am F#m7 Fmaj7/A E
Am F#m7 Fmaj7/A E
Am F#m7 Fmaj7/A E
Am F#m7 Fmaj7/A E
Am F#m7 Fmaj7/A E
Am F#m7 Fmaj7/A E
Am F#m7 Fmaj7/A
E
Am7

How to play Cant Keep A Good Man Down: key, chords and progression

Cant Keep A Good Man Down by Hardin & York is centred on G major (one sharp: F♯). The song uses 7 chords: Am, F#m7, Fmaj7/A, E, F#m, G#m and Am7.

The progression the song keeps returning to is Am – F#m7 – Fmaj7/A – E (ii – vii7 – ♭VIImaj7 – VI in G major). Learn these 4 changes first and most of the song falls into place.

Good to know: F#m7, F#m and G#m are played as barre or movable shapes on guitar. Practise the change into them slowly; on piano and ukulele the same chords are easier.