ChordSongs
Rock, Alternative

Everybody Hurts Chords

R.E.M. Beginner Key of D 4 Chords 2 min read
Dtap to play
Gtap to play
Emtap to play
Atap to play
Key
D Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Capo
None
Chords
D · G · Em · A

R.E.M.’s slow, achingly beautiful ballad about holding on during dark times. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Slow Ballad (4/4 Time)
↓↑↓↑
1234

Tip: Play this very slowly and gently. The song should feel like a comforting arm around someone’s shoulder. Let every chord ring and breathe.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
D
When your day is long
G D
And the night, the night is yours alone
D
When you’re sure you’ve had enough
G D
Of this life, well hang on
 

Chorus

 
Em A
Don’t let yourself go
Em A
’Cause everybody cries
Em A D G
And everybody hurts sometimes
 

Verse 2

 
D
Sometimes everything is wrong
G D
Now it’s time to sing along
D
When your day is night alone (hold on, hold on)
G D
If you feel like letting go (hold on)
 

Chorus

 
Em A
When you think you’ve had too much
D G
Of this life, well hang on
Em A
’Cause everybody hurts
Em A
Take comfort in your friends
Em A
Everybody hurts
 

Bridge

 

[Em]Don’t throw your [A]hand
[Em]Oh [A]no
[Em]Don’t throw your [A]hand
If you [D]feel like you’re a[G]lone
No, no, no, you are not a[D]lone
[/verse]

Final Chorus

 
Em A
If you’re on your own in this life
Em A
The days and nights are long
Em A D G
When you think you’ve had too much of this life to hang on
Em A
Well, everybody hurts sometimes
Em A
Everybody cries
Em A D
And everybody hurts sometimes
G D
And everybody hurts sometimes
G D
So hold on, hold on
Em
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
A D
Hold on, hold on
G D
Everybody hurts
G D
You are not alone
 

Practice tip: The D-G verse and Em-A chorus patterns are very simple. The beauty of this song is in the slow, deliberate pace — don’t rush it. Let each chord sustain fully before changing.

Dtap to play
Gtap to play
Emtap to play
Atap to play
Key
D Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Tuning
G-C-E-A
Chords
D · G · Em · A

R.E.M.’s slow, achingly beautiful ballad about holding on during dark times. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Slow Ballad (4/4 Time)
↓↑↓↑
1234

Tip: Play this very slowly and gently. The song should feel like a comforting arm around someone’s shoulder. Let every chord ring and breathe.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
D
When your day is long
G D
And the night, the night is yours alone
D
When you’re sure you’ve had enough
G D
Of this life, well hang on
 

Chorus

 
Em A
Don’t let yourself go
Em A
’Cause everybody cries
Em A D G
And everybody hurts sometimes
 

Verse 2

 
D
Sometimes everything is wrong
G D
Now it’s time to sing along
D
When your day is night alone (hold on, hold on)
G D
If you feel like letting go (hold on)
 

Chorus

 
Em A
When you think you’ve had too much
D G
Of this life, well hang on
Em A
’Cause everybody hurts
Em A
Take comfort in your friends
Em A
Everybody hurts
 

Bridge

 

[Em]Don’t throw your [A]hand
[Em]Oh [A]no
[Em]Don’t throw your [A]hand
If you [D]feel like you’re a[G]lone
No, no, no, you are not a[D]lone
[/verse]

Final Chorus

 
Em A
If you’re on your own in this life
Em A
The days and nights are long
Em A D G
When you think you’ve had too much of this life to hang on
Em A
Well, everybody hurts sometimes
Em A
Everybody cries
Em A D
And everybody hurts sometimes
G D
And everybody hurts sometimes
G D
So hold on, hold on
Em
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
A D
Hold on, hold on
G D
Everybody hurts
G D
You are not alone
 

Practice tip: The D-G verse and Em-A chorus patterns are very simple. The beauty of this song is in the slow, deliberate pace — don’t rush it. Let each chord sustain fully before changing.

Dtap to play
Gtap to play
Emtap to play
Atap to play
Key
D Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Left Hand
Root notes
Chords
D · G · Em · A

R.E.M.’s slow, achingly beautiful ballad about holding on during dark times. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Slow Ballad (4/4 Time)
↓↑↓↑
1234

Tip: Play this very slowly and gently. The song should feel like a comforting arm around someone’s shoulder. Let every chord ring and breathe.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
D
When your day is long
G D
And the night, the night is yours alone
D
When you’re sure you’ve had enough
G D
Of this life, well hang on
 

Chorus

 
Em A
Don’t let yourself go
Em A
’Cause everybody cries
Em A D G
And everybody hurts sometimes
 

Verse 2

 
D
Sometimes everything is wrong
G D
Now it’s time to sing along
D
When your day is night alone (hold on, hold on)
G D
If you feel like letting go (hold on)
 

Chorus

 
Em A
When you think you’ve had too much
D G
Of this life, well hang on
Em A
’Cause everybody hurts
Em A
Take comfort in your friends
Em A
Everybody hurts
 

Bridge

 

[Em]Don’t throw your [A]hand
[Em]Oh [A]no
[Em]Don’t throw your [A]hand
If you [D]feel like you’re a[G]lone
No, no, no, you are not a[D]lone
[/verse]

Final Chorus

 
Em A
If you’re on your own in this life
Em A
The days and nights are long
Em A D G
When you think you’ve had too much of this life to hang on
Em A
Well, everybody hurts sometimes
Em A
Everybody cries
Em A D
And everybody hurts sometimes
G D
And everybody hurts sometimes
G D
So hold on, hold on
Em
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
A D
Hold on, hold on
G D
Everybody hurts
G D
You are not alone
 

Practice tip: The D-G verse and Em-A chorus patterns are very simple. The beauty of this song is in the slow, deliberate pace — don’t rush it. Let each chord sustain fully before changing.

Dtap to play
Gtap to play
Emtap to play
Atap to play
Key
D Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Tuning
gDGBD (Open G)
Chords
D · G · Em · A

R.E.M.’s slow, achingly beautiful ballad about holding on during dark times. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Slow Ballad (4/4 Time)
↓↑↓↑
1234

Tip: Play this very slowly and gently. The song should feel like a comforting arm around someone’s shoulder. Let every chord ring and breathe.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
D
When your day is long
G D
And the night, the night is yours alone
D
When you’re sure you’ve had enough
G D
Of this life, well hang on
 

Chorus

 
Em A
Don’t let yourself go
Em A
’Cause everybody cries
Em A D G
And everybody hurts sometimes
 

Verse 2

 
D
Sometimes everything is wrong
G D
Now it’s time to sing along
D
When your day is night alone (hold on, hold on)
G D
If you feel like letting go (hold on)
 

Chorus

 
Em A
When you think you’ve had too much
D G
Of this life, well hang on
Em A
’Cause everybody hurts
Em A
Take comfort in your friends
Em A
Everybody hurts
 

Bridge

 

[Em]Don’t throw your [A]hand
[Em]Oh [A]no
[Em]Don’t throw your [A]hand
If you [D]feel like you’re a[G]lone
No, no, no, you are not a[D]lone
[/verse]

Final Chorus

 
Em A
If you’re on your own in this life
Em A
The days and nights are long
Em A D G
When you think you’ve had too much of this life to hang on
Em A
Well, everybody hurts sometimes
Em A
Everybody cries
Em A D
And everybody hurts sometimes
G D
And everybody hurts sometimes
G D
So hold on, hold on
Em
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
A D
Hold on, hold on
G D
Everybody hurts
G D
You are not alone
 

Practice tip: The D-G verse and Em-A chorus patterns are very simple. The beauty of this song is in the slow, deliberate pace — don’t rush it. Let each chord sustain fully before changing.

Dtap to play
Gtap to play
Emtap to play
Atap to play
Key
D Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Tuning
G-D-A-E
Chords
D · G · Em · A

R.E.M.’s slow, achingly beautiful ballad about holding on during dark times. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Slow Ballad (4/4 Time)
↓↑↓↑
1234

Tip: Play this very slowly and gently. The song should feel like a comforting arm around someone’s shoulder. Let every chord ring and breathe.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
D
When your day is long
G D
And the night, the night is yours alone
D
When you’re sure you’ve had enough
G D
Of this life, well hang on
 

Chorus

 
Em A
Don’t let yourself go
Em A
’Cause everybody cries
Em A D G
And everybody hurts sometimes
 

Verse 2

 
D
Sometimes everything is wrong
G D
Now it’s time to sing along
D
When your day is night alone (hold on, hold on)
G D
If you feel like letting go (hold on)
 

Chorus

 
Em A
When you think you’ve had too much
D G
Of this life, well hang on
Em A
’Cause everybody hurts
Em A
Take comfort in your friends
Em A
Everybody hurts
 

Bridge

 

[Em]Don’t throw your [A]hand
[Em]Oh [A]no
[Em]Don’t throw your [A]hand
If you [D]feel like you’re a[G]lone
No, no, no, you are not a[D]lone
[/verse]

Final Chorus

 
Em A
If you’re on your own in this life
Em A
The days and nights are long
Em A D G
When you think you’ve had too much of this life to hang on
Em A
Well, everybody hurts sometimes
Em A
Everybody cries
Em A D
And everybody hurts sometimes
G D
And everybody hurts sometimes
G D
So hold on, hold on
Em
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
A D
Hold on, hold on
G D
Everybody hurts
G D
You are not alone
 

Practice tip: The D-G verse and Em-A chorus patterns are very simple. The beauty of this song is in the slow, deliberate pace — don’t rush it. Let each chord sustain fully before changing.

Dtap to play
Gtap to play
Emtap to play
Atap to play
Key
D Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Harp Key
C Diatonic
Chords
D · G · Em · A

R.E.M.’s slow, achingly beautiful ballad about holding on during dark times. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Slow Ballad (4/4 Time)
↓↑↓↑
1234

Tip: Play this very slowly and gently. The song should feel like a comforting arm around someone’s shoulder. Let every chord ring and breathe.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
D
When your day is long
G D
And the night, the night is yours alone
D
When you’re sure you’ve had enough
G D
Of this life, well hang on
 

Chorus

 
Em A
Don’t let yourself go
Em A
’Cause everybody cries
Em A D G
And everybody hurts sometimes
 

Verse 2

 
D
Sometimes everything is wrong
G D
Now it’s time to sing along
D
When your day is night alone (hold on, hold on)
G D
If you feel like letting go (hold on)
 

Chorus

 
Em A
When you think you’ve had too much
D G
Of this life, well hang on
Em A
’Cause everybody hurts
Em A
Take comfort in your friends
Em A
Everybody hurts
 

Bridge

 

[Em]Don’t throw your [A]hand
[Em]Oh [A]no
[Em]Don’t throw your [A]hand
If you [D]feel like you’re a[G]lone
No, no, no, you are not a[D]lone
[/verse]

Final Chorus

 
Em A
If you’re on your own in this life
Em A
The days and nights are long
Em A D G
When you think you’ve had too much of this life to hang on
Em A
Well, everybody hurts sometimes
Em A
Everybody cries
Em A D
And everybody hurts sometimes
G D
And everybody hurts sometimes
G D
So hold on, hold on
Em
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
A D
Hold on, hold on
G D
Everybody hurts
G D
You are not alone
 

Practice tip: The D-G verse and Em-A chorus patterns are very simple. The beauty of this song is in the slow, deliberate pace — don’t rush it. Let each chord sustain fully before changing.