The Hard Way chords by
The Kinks

N/A•4 views•

Key: A major•

Intro 1

D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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Verse 1

D

D

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Boys like you

C

C

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G

G

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were born to waste,

D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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You never listen to a word I say

D

D

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C

C

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And if you think you're here to mess around,

G

G

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You're making a big mistake,

D

D

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Cause you're gonna find

C

C

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G

G

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out the hard way,

D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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You gonna find out the hard way.

Verse 2

D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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No matter what I do or say,

D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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You're much too dumb to educate.

D

D

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C

C

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One day life's going to turn around

G

G

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and slap you in the face,

D

D

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C

C

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Then you're gonna find out the hard way.

G

G

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You'll take the hard way,

D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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Gonna take the hard way.

Verse 3

Bm

Bm

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Em

Em

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Well, you'll do it your way and

Bm

Bm

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Em

Em

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I'll do it my way,

D

D

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And we'll see who's the one

C

C

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G

G

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to survive.

Bm

Bm

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Em

Em

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You'll find that with no foundation

Bm

Bm

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Em

Em

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Or qualifications

D

D

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G

G

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There's no way that you can get by,

F

F

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C

C

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D

D

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No, there's no way you can get by.

Verse 4

D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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Why don't you take the easy way?

D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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Why don't you co- operate?

D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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Don't just sit there and ve getate.

D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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D

D

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Do you want to end up illiterate?

C

C

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G

G

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D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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Bm

Bm

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Em

Em

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You think that life's a vacation

Bm

Bm

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Em

Em

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And you've no inclination

D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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To dust away the cobwebs of your mind.

Bm

Bm

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Em

Em

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Now it's time for confrontation

And I'm tired of being patient,

D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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So I've got to be cruel to be kind.

Verse 5

F

F

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C

C

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D

D

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You've got to be cruel to be kind.

C

C

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I'm wasting my vocation

G

G

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teaching you to write neat

D

D

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C

C

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When you're only fit to sweep the streets.

G

G

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D

D

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Your intellect is such

C

C

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G

G

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That it requires a killer's touch.

Verse 6

D

D

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C

C

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So I'm going to play it your way,

G

G

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We'll take the hard way.

D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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D

D

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C

C

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Go ing to take the hard way,

G

G

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D

D

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C

C

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You can take the hard way.

G

G

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D

D

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C

C

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Gonna take the hard way,

G

G

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D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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D

D

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C

C

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Gonna take the hard

G

G

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Outro 1

way.

D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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D

D

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C

C

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G

G

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A

A

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E

E

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Em

Em

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C

C

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G

G

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An acoustic guitar head with tuning pegs

E ₂

A ₂

D ₃

G ₃

B ₃

E ₄

Guitar Tuner 7 Strings

B ₁

E ₂

A ₂

D ₃

G ₃

B ₃

E ₄

Guitar Tuner 12 stringStandard

E ₃

E ₂

A ₃

A ₂

D ₄

D ₃

G ₄

G ₃

B ₃

B ₃

E ₄

E ₄

Guitar Tuner 6 stringPower

Guitar Tuner 6 stringOpen

Guitar Tuner 6 stringExtras

G ₄

C ₄

E ₄

A ₄

CavaquinhoStandard

D ₄

G ₄

B ₄

D ₅

E ₁

A ₁

D ₂

G ₂

Bass Tuner 5 Strings

B ₀

E ₁

A ₁

D ₂

G ₂

G ₃

D ₄

A ₄

E ₅

C ₃

G ₃

D ₄

A ₄

C ₂

G ₂

D ₃

A ₃

G ₃

D ₄

A ₄

E ₅

G ₃

G ₃

D ₄

D ₄

A ₄

A ₄

E ₅

E ₅

Balalaika Tuner

E ₄

E ₄

A ₄

G ₄

D ₃

G ₃

B ₃

D ₄

Banjo Tuner 4 Strings

C ₃

G ₃

D ₄

A ₄

An acoustic guitar head with tuning pegs

E ₂

A ₂

D ₃

G ₃

B ₃

E ₄

Guitar Tuner 7 Strings

B ₁

E ₂

A ₂

D ₃

G ₃

B ₃

E ₄

Guitar Tuner 12 stringStandard

E ₃

E ₂

A ₃

A ₂

D ₄

D ₃

G ₄

G ₃

B ₃

B ₃

E ₄

E ₄

Guitar Tuner 6 stringPower

Guitar Tuner 6 stringOpen

Guitar Tuner 6 stringExtras

G ₄

C ₄

E ₄

A ₄

CavaquinhoStandard

D ₄

G ₄

B ₄

D ₅

E ₁

A ₁

D ₂

G ₂

Bass Tuner 5 Strings

B ₀

E ₁

A ₁

D ₂

G ₂

G ₃

D ₄

A ₄

E ₅

C ₃

G ₃

D ₄

A ₄

C ₂

G ₂

D ₃

A ₃

G ₃

D ₄

A ₄

E ₅

G ₃

G ₃

D ₄

D ₄

A ₄

A ₄

E ₅

E ₅

Balalaika Tuner

E ₄

E ₄

A ₄

G ₄

D ₃

G ₃

B ₃

D ₄

Banjo Tuner 4 Strings

C ₃

G ₃

D ₄

A ₄

Chords

D
C
G
Bm
Em
F
A
E

Capo: 2

Transpose: 0

0

Autoscroll20%

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Frequently asked questions

What is the original key of The Hard Way?

The original key of The Hard Way by The Kinks is A major.

What are the main chords for The Hard Way?

The primary chords used in The Hard Way are E, D, A, C#m, F#m, G.

Do I need a capo to play The Hard Way?

To play in the original key, place your capo on the 2 fret.

Is The Hard Way beginner-friendly on guitar?

Yes, this version uses open chords like E, D, A, C#m, making it a great song for beginner guitarists.

What is the tempo (BPM) of The Hard Way?

The tempo of The Hard Way is approximately 143 beats per minute.

How do I transpose the chords for The Hard Way?

You can easily change the key of The Hard Way using our Transpose button located in the toolbar. This will automatically update all chord diagrams on the page to match your new key.

Can I print the guitar chords for The Hard Way?

Yes! Click the Print icon to generate a clean, one-page version of the chords and lyrics for The Hard Way. This is perfect for practicing offline or adding to a physical songbook.

Is there a tuner available for The Hard Way?

Yes, we have integrated a Mini-Tuner directly on this page. Use it to quickly check your string pitch (Standard Tuning: E A D G B E) before you start playing along with The Kinks.

Can I save The Hard Way to play later?

Absolutely. Click the Save or Heart icon to add The Hard Way to your account. You can access all your saved songs under My Library at any time.

Can I access the guitar chords for The Hard Way for free?

You can view the full chord sheet and lyrics for The Hard Way by The Kinks on this page for free. We provide high-quality, verified chords to help you start playing immediately.