Easy Chords: Sleeping At Last's 'When It Don't Come

The song When It Don't Come Easy by Patty Griffin features guitar and ukulele chords that create a captivating musical backdrop for the lyrics. The chords progress through various keys, including C, G, F, Dm, and Am, adding depth and emotion to the song's message. The lyrics themselves paint a picture of resilience and support, with lines like I'll stay by you when it don't come easy and If you forget my love, I'll try to remind you. This combination of poignant lyrics and expressive chords makes When It Don't Come Easy a powerful and memorable song.

'When It Don't Come Easy' chord progression

The song "When It Don't Come Easy" by Patty Griffin has a chord progression that repeats throughout the song. The progression is as follows: C, G, F, C, F, C, Dm, F, C.

The song begins with the narrator reflecting on a challenging journey home, using red lights flashing on a highway as a metaphor for the obstacles they face. The chorus emphasizes the willingness to support a partner through difficult times, with the line "I'll stay by you when it don't come easy."

The second verse continues the theme of uncertainty and change, mentioning how "year after year, what we do is undone." It also introduces the idea of searching for love, both lost and yet to be found. The chorus is repeated, reinforcing the message of staying together during tough times.

The third verse shifts the focus to the narrator's personal losses and their emotional response, crying for the love they've lost and reflecting on what truly matters to them. The chorus is repeated again, emphasizing the universal desire for love and the willingness to persevere to find it.

The song concludes with a reiteration of the chorus, leaving the listener with the powerful message that even when faced with challenges, there is hope and strength in staying together.

The chord progression, with its mix of major and minor chords, captures the emotional depth of the lyrics, creating a poignant and uplifting atmosphere throughout the song.

Lyrics to 'When It Don't Come Easy'

"When It Don't Come Easy" is a song by Sleeping at Last, released in 2020 as part of their Covers, Vol. 3 album. The song was originally recorded by Patty Griffin in 2004 for her album 'Impossible Dream'. Sleeping at Last's version was recorded for the popular US TV medical drama 'Grey's Anatomy' and was featured in season 15, episode 11.

The lyrics to "When It Don't Come Easy" are as follows:

[Verse 1]

Red lights flashin' on the highway

I wonder if we're gonna ever get home

I wonder if we're gonna ever get home tonight

Everywhere the waters getting rough

Your best intentions may not be enough

I wonder if we're gonna ever get home tonight

[Chorus]

But if you break down I'll drive out and find you

If you forget my love I'll try to remind you

And stay by you

When it don't come easy

When it don't come easy

[Verse 2]

I don't know nothin' except change will come

Year after year, what we do is undone

Time keeps moving from a crawl to a run

I wonder if we're gonna ever get home

You're out there walking down a highway

And all of the signs got blown away

Sometimes you wonder if you're walking in the wrong direction

[Chorus]

But if you break down I'll drive out and find you

If you forget my love I'll try to remind you

And stay by you

When it don't come easy

When it don't come easy

[Verse 3]

So many things that I had before

They don't matter to me now

Tonight I cry for the love I've lost

And for the love I never found

When the last bird falls

And the last siren sounds

Someone will say what's been said before

It's only love we're looking for

[Chorus]

When you break down I'll drive out and find you

When you forget my love I'll try to remind you

And I'll stay by you

When it don't come easy

When it don't come easy

It don't come easy

It don't come easy

'It Don't Come Easy' by Ringo Starr

"It Don't Come Easy" is a song by English rock musician Ringo Starr, released as a non-album single in April 1971. It was Starr's first single release since the break-up of the Beatles, and it became a commercial success, peaking at number 1 in Canada and reaching the top 5 in singles charts in the UK and the US. The song is widely considered one of his most popular hits as a solo artist.

Starr began writing "It Don't Come Easy" in late 1968, after completing his first composition, "Don't Pass Me By". He described himself as "great at writing two verses and a chorus" but often struggled to develop his ideas further. While Starr received sole writing credit for the song, it is now known that he had significant help from his former Beatles bandmate George Harrison, who also produced the track. Harrison's influence is evident in the guitar riff, "quasi-philosophical" lyrics, and other musical details characteristic of his compositions from that period.

The song's original title was "You Gotta Pay Your Dues", reflecting the theme of resilience in the face of hardship. The lyrics encourage staying strong and paying your dues to succeed, a sentiment that resonated with Starr's personal experiences of overcoming health issues and limited education. The song opens and closes with a lead guitar riff, and its musical arrangement combines an array of instruments, including drums, bass, piano, tambourine, saxophone, trumpet, and horns.

"It Don't Come Easy" was heavily promoted by Apple Records and received positive reviews from music critics. It outsold singles released by Starr's former Beatles bandmates around the same time, including John Lennon's "Power to the People" and Paul McCartney's "Another Day". The song's success helped establish Starr's identity as a solo artist and dispel the image of him as "the downtrodden drummer".

Starr has continued to perform "It Don't Come Easy" in subsequent decades with his All-Starr Band, and it has become a signature song for him. The track has also been covered by various artists, including The Smithereens and Peter Frampton, and featured in television shows such as The Simpsons.

The song's key changes

The song "When It Don't Come Easy" by Patty Griffin features several key changes throughout. The song primarily alternates between the chords of C, G, F, and Dm, with occasional shifts to other chords like F, G, and Am.

The song begins in the key of C, with the line "Red lights are flashing on a highway" and continues in this key for the first verse and chorus. The second verse also starts in the key of C but then shifts to G for the line "So many things that I've had before." This shift highlights the emotional intensity of the lyrics as the singer reflects on past losses and the uncertainty of the future.

The chorus brings the song back to the key of C, with the line "I'll stay by you when it don't come easy." This return to the original key provides a sense of resolution and stability after the emotional journey of the second verse. However, the song then shifts to the key of F for the line "But if you break down, I'll drive out and find you," emphasizing the singer's commitment and determination to support their loved one through difficult times.

The song continues to move between keys, with the line "I don't know nothing except change will come" bringing it back to C and the following line "Year after year what we do is undone" shifting to G. This dynamic use of key changes adds interest and emotion to the song, reflecting the ups and downs of life's journey.

Overall, the key changes in "When It Don't Come Easy" enhance the storytelling aspect of the song, underscoring the themes of resilience, support, and the enduring power of love even in the face of life's challenges.

Guitar tabs for the chords

The song is originally in the key of D, but you can also play it in other keys, such as C, C#, or E-flat. The chords used in the song are Am, D, G, and A. Here is a breakdown of the chord progression:

Am - It don't come easy

D - You know it don't come easy

Am - Got to pay your dues if you want to sing the blues

D - And you know it don't come easy

Am - You don't have to shout or leap about

D - You can even play them easy

G - Forget about the past and all your sorrow

A - The future won't last; it will soon be over tomorrow

The song continues with this chord progression, with slight variations in the lyrics:

Am - I don't ask for much; I only want your trust

D - And you know it don't come easy

Am - Then this love of mine keeps growing all the time

D - And you know it just ain't easy

G - Open up your heart, let's come together

A - And we will make it work out better

These chords form the foundation of the song, and you can strum them on a guitar to play along with the recording.

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