Folk, Rock

Fire and Rain Chords

James Taylor Beginner Key of C 5 Chords 3 min read Updated Jul 2026

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Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

C · G · Am · D · Em

Fire and Rain Chords – Guitar

James Taylor’s deeply personal folk classic about loss and perseverance. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Fingerpicking Folk (3/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑↓↑

123456

Tip: This song works beautifully with fingerpicking. Use your thumb on the bass strings and index/middle/ring on the treble strings for a classic folk sound.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C Em Am

Just yesterday morning they let me know you were gone

G C

Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you

C Em Am

I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song

G C

I just can’t remember who to send it to

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Verse 2

C Em Am

Won’t you look down upon me, Jesus, you got to help me make a stand

G C

You just got to see me through another day

C Em Am

My body’s aching and my time is at hand

G C

And I won’t make it any other way

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Verse 3

C Em Am

Been walking my mind to an easy time, my back turned towards the sun

G C

Lord knows when the cold wind blows it’ll turn your head around

C Em Am

Well, there’s hours of time on the telephone line to talk about things to come

G C

Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Practice tip: The Dm chord in the chorus is the trickiest transition. Practice going from Em to Dm to G smoothly. These three chords drive the emotional punch of the chorus.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Fire and Rain"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: C, G, Am, D and Em.

Is "Fire and Rain" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Fire and Rain" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "Fire and Rain"?

It was written by James Taylor, and released in 1970.

Ctap to play

Gtap to play

Amtap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

C · G · Am · D · Em

Fire and Rain Chords – Ukulele

James Taylor’s deeply personal folk classic about loss and perseverance. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Fingerpicking Folk (3/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑↓↑

123456

Tip: This song works beautifully with fingerpicking. Use your thumb on the bass strings and index/middle/ring on the treble strings for a classic folk sound.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C Em Am

Just yesterday morning they let me know you were gone

G C

Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you

C Em Am

I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song

G C

I just can’t remember who to send it to

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Verse 2

C Em Am

Won’t you look down upon me, Jesus, you got to help me make a stand

G C

You just got to see me through another day

C Em Am

My body’s aching and my time is at hand

G C

And I won’t make it any other way

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Verse 3

C Em Am

Been walking my mind to an easy time, my back turned towards the sun

G C

Lord knows when the cold wind blows it’ll turn your head around

C Em Am

Well, there’s hours of time on the telephone line to talk about things to come

G C

Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Practice tip: The Dm chord in the chorus is the trickiest transition. Practice going from Em to Dm to G smoothly. These three chords drive the emotional punch of the chorus.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Fire and Rain"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: C, G, Am, D and Em.

Is "Fire and Rain" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Fire and Rain" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "Fire and Rain"?

It was written by James Taylor, and released in 1970.

Ctap to play

Gtap to play

Amtap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

C · G · Am · D · Em

Fire and Rain Chords – Piano

James Taylor’s deeply personal folk classic about loss and perseverance. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Fingerpicking Folk (3/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑↓↑

123456

Tip: This song works beautifully with fingerpicking. Use your thumb on the bass strings and index/middle/ring on the treble strings for a classic folk sound.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C Em Am

Just yesterday morning they let me know you were gone

G C

Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you

C Em Am

I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song

G C

I just can’t remember who to send it to

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Verse 2

C Em Am

Won’t you look down upon me, Jesus, you got to help me make a stand

G C

You just got to see me through another day

C Em Am

My body’s aching and my time is at hand

G C

And I won’t make it any other way

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Verse 3

C Em Am

Been walking my mind to an easy time, my back turned towards the sun

G C

Lord knows when the cold wind blows it’ll turn your head around

C Em Am

Well, there’s hours of time on the telephone line to talk about things to come

G C

Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Practice tip: The Dm chord in the chorus is the trickiest transition. Practice going from Em to Dm to G smoothly. These three chords drive the emotional punch of the chorus.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Fire and Rain"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: C, G, Am, D and Em.

Is "Fire and Rain" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Fire and Rain" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "Fire and Rain"?

It was written by James Taylor, and released in 1970.

Ctap to play

Gtap to play

Amtap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

C · G · Am · D · Em

Fire and Rain Chords – Banjo

James Taylor’s deeply personal folk classic about loss and perseverance. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Fingerpicking Folk (3/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑↓↑

123456

Tip: This song works beautifully with fingerpicking. Use your thumb on the bass strings and index/middle/ring on the treble strings for a classic folk sound.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C Em Am

Just yesterday morning they let me know you were gone

G C

Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you

C Em Am

I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song

G C

I just can’t remember who to send it to

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Verse 2

C Em Am

Won’t you look down upon me, Jesus, you got to help me make a stand

G C

You just got to see me through another day

C Em Am

My body’s aching and my time is at hand

G C

And I won’t make it any other way

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Verse 3

C Em Am

Been walking my mind to an easy time, my back turned towards the sun

G C

Lord knows when the cold wind blows it’ll turn your head around

C Em Am

Well, there’s hours of time on the telephone line to talk about things to come

G C

Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Practice tip: The Dm chord in the chorus is the trickiest transition. Practice going from Em to Dm to G smoothly. These three chords drive the emotional punch of the chorus.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Fire and Rain"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: C, G, Am, D and Em.

Is "Fire and Rain" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Fire and Rain" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "Fire and Rain"?

It was written by James Taylor, and released in 1970.

Ctap to play

Gtap to play

Amtap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

C · G · Am · D · Em

Fire and Rain Chords – Mandolin

James Taylor’s deeply personal folk classic about loss and perseverance. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Fingerpicking Folk (3/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑↓↑

123456

Tip: This song works beautifully with fingerpicking. Use your thumb on the bass strings and index/middle/ring on the treble strings for a classic folk sound.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C Em Am

Just yesterday morning they let me know you were gone

G C

Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you

C Em Am

I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song

G C

I just can’t remember who to send it to

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Verse 2

C Em Am

Won’t you look down upon me, Jesus, you got to help me make a stand

G C

You just got to see me through another day

C Em Am

My body’s aching and my time is at hand

G C

And I won’t make it any other way

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Verse 3

C Em Am

Been walking my mind to an easy time, my back turned towards the sun

G C

Lord knows when the cold wind blows it’ll turn your head around

C Em Am

Well, there’s hours of time on the telephone line to talk about things to come

G C

Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Practice tip: The Dm chord in the chorus is the trickiest transition. Practice going from Em to Dm to G smoothly. These three chords drive the emotional punch of the chorus.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Fire and Rain"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: C, G, Am, D and Em.

Is "Fire and Rain" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Fire and Rain" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "Fire and Rain"?

It was written by James Taylor, and released in 1970.

Ctap to play

Gtap to play

Amtap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

C · G · Am · D · Em

Fire and Rain Chords – Harmonica

James Taylor’s deeply personal folk classic about loss and perseverance. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Fingerpicking Folk (3/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑↓↑

123456

Tip: This song works beautifully with fingerpicking. Use your thumb on the bass strings and index/middle/ring on the treble strings for a classic folk sound.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C Em Am

Just yesterday morning they let me know you were gone

G C

Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you

C Em Am

I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song

G C

I just can’t remember who to send it to

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Verse 2

C Em Am

Won’t you look down upon me, Jesus, you got to help me make a stand

G C

You just got to see me through another day

C Em Am

My body’s aching and my time is at hand

G C

And I won’t make it any other way

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Verse 3

C Em Am

Been walking my mind to an easy time, my back turned towards the sun

G C

Lord knows when the cold wind blows it’ll turn your head around

C Em Am

Well, there’s hours of time on the telephone line to talk about things to come

G C

Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground

Chorus

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

F Em Dm G

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

C G

But I always thought that I’d see you again

Practice tip: The Dm chord in the chorus is the trickiest transition. Practice going from Em to Dm to G smoothly. These three chords drive the emotional punch of the chorus.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Fire and Rain"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: C, G, Am, D and Em.

Is "Fire and Rain" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Fire and Rain" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "Fire and Rain"?

It was written by James Taylor, and released in 1970.