Other arrangements of Hard Times
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(CN.C.)My moth er (Bb7)told me
’fore she passed a way,
said, “Son, when I’m gone, ey
don’t for get to (Cm7)pray, (Bdim)’cause there’ll be (Bdim7)hard times,
hard (D)times.
(Db)Who (C)knows (Bb)bet ter than (C7)I?”
Well, I soon found out
just what she meant
when I had to pawn my clothes row
just to pay the (Cm7)rent.
(B)Talk in’ ’bout (Bdim7)hard times,
hard (D)times.
(Db)Who (C)knows (Bb)bet ter than (F)I?
(CN.C.)I had a (Bb7)wom an
who was al ways ’round,
but when lost my mon ey
then she put me (Cm7)down.
(Bdim)Talk in’ ’bout (Bdim7)hard times,
hard (D)times.
(Db)Who (C)knows (Bb)bet ter than (C7)I?
Yeah, I soon oh, yeah,
one of these days
there’ll I be to no more sor row
when I pass a (Cm7)way.
(B)Then no more (Bdim7)hard times,
hard (D)times.
(Db)Who (C)knows (Bb)bet ter than (F)I?
(CN.C.)I had a (Bdim7)I?
Hard Times — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along
9 people have learned this song
Free karaoke for "Hard Times" by Ray Charles: lyrics on screen with the chords above each line and a bouncing ball that lands on every word in time. Sing along, or play along on guitar or piano from the chord chart. Change the key to fit your voice, slow the tempo down. Key of F, 80 BPM.
Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.
Try other practice modes:
About “Hard Times”
- What key is "Hard Times" by Ray Charles played in?
- Hard Times is arranged in the key of F on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Hard Times"?
- The arrangement plays at 80 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Hard Times" easy to play on piano?
- Yes — this is one of our beginner-friendly arrangements with simplified chords and color-coded notes.
- Can I download sheet music for "Hard Times"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Hard Times"?
- "Hard Times" was originally performed by Ray Charles. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What other songs by Ray Charles can I play here?
- Try "I GOT A WOMAN", "GEORGIA ON MY MIND", "YOU DON'T KNOW ME". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is there a karaoke version of "Hard Times" with lyrics?
- Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "Hard Times" by Ray Charles. The lyrics appear on screen a line at a time and each word lights up exactly when it's sung, with a bouncing ball leading you word to word. A backing plays underneath so you can just sing.
- Does it show chords so I can play along on guitar or piano?
- It does — a chord symbol sits on a thin row just above the lyric it changes on, so the same screen doubles as a lyrics-and-chords chart. Guitarists can strum the changes and pianists can comp while singing; the chords are colour-coded and move with the live transpose if you change key.
- Can I change the key of "Hard Times" to match my voice or capo?
- Yes. The original is in F, but the live transpose control shifts the whole song up or down semitones until the melody sits in your range (or maps to an easier guitar shape / capo position) — the on-screen chords and the backing move with it.
- Can I slow "Hard Times" down to learn the words and chords?
- Yes — the tempo control lets you take it as slow as you need while the lyrics still light up in time and the ball keeps you on the beat. Speed it back up once you can sing and play it through.