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Johnny Cash - Hurt Chords

ChordsAm, C, D, G, F
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow. Using the Transpose tool, switch to E key to play this song with easier chords.

AmCDAmCD
AmIChurt Dmyself Amtoday,toCseeifDIstillAmfeel
ICfocusDontheAmpain,theConlyDthingthat’sAmreal
TheCneedleDtearsaAmhole,theCold DfamiliarAmsting
TrytoCkillitDall Amaway,butI CrememberDeverything
AmWhathaveI Fbecome,CmysweetestGfriend
AmEveryoneIFknow,goes CawayintheGend
AndAmyoucouldhaveitFall.
GMyempireofdirt
AmIwillletyouFdown,GIwillmakeyouAmhurt
CDAmCDAm
AmICwearthisDcrownofAmthorns
CUponmyDliarsAmchair
CFullofDbrokenAmthoughts,CIcanDnot Amrepair
CBeneaththeDstainsofAmtimetheCfeelingsDdisappear
CYouare DsomeoneAmelse
CIamDstillrightGhere
AmWhathaveI Fbecome,CmysweetestGfriend
AmEveryoneIFknow,goes CawayintheGend
AndAmyoucouldhaveitFall.
GMyempireofdirt
AmIwillletyouFdown,GIwillmakeyouhurt
GIfAmIcouldstart FagainaGmillionmilesaway
AmIwillkeep Fmyself
GIwouldfindaway
Album American IV: The Man Comes Around
Year2002
KeyAm
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play Hurt on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Johnny Cash - Hurt on guitar requires 5 chords and 9 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

Hurt uses these transitions most often: Am → C (20), C → D (20), and D → Am (18). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with Am - C chord transition.

1. Am → C chord transition

Switching from Am to C:

  1. Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 20 times.

Am to C

2. C → D chord transition

Here's how to move from C to D:

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 20 times.

C to D

3. D → Am chord transition

Here's how to move from D to Am:

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse, played 18 times.

D to Am

4. D → G chord transition

To move from D to G:

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

D to G

5. G → Am chord transition

Here's how to move from G to Am:

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 11 times.

6. Am → F chord transition

Switching from Am to F:

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 10 times.

7. F → C chord transition

Switching from F to C:

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  4. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

8. C → G chord transition

Here's how to move from C to G:

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

9. F → G chord transition

Here's how to move from F to G:

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  4. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Hurt.

  • Hurt includes 95 chord transitions, 9 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Hurt contains 7 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Hurt connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After Am, the most likely next chords across Chordier are F (26%), G (21%), and C (16%).
    • Am → F: 26%
    • Am → C: 16%
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → D: 11%