Folk, Rock

Helplessly Hoping Chords

Crosby Stills Nash & Young Beginner Key of G 4 Chords 2 min read

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Ctap to play

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Dtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

Am · C · G · D

Crosby, Stills & Nash’s gorgeous three-part harmony folk masterpiece. Intermediate difficulty in the key of Am.

Folk Fingerpicking (4/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑

1234

Tip: Fingerpick this song for the best effect. The arpeggiated chords create a shimmering, delicate texture that’s lost with strumming. Keep it gentle and precise.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am C

Helplessly hoping

G Am

Her harlequin hovers nearby

Am C

Awaiting a word

G Am

Gasping at glimpses of gentle true spirit

C G

He runs, wishing he could fly

F Am G

Only to trip at the sound of goodbye

Verse 2

Am C

Wordlessly watching

G Am

He waits by the window and wonders

Am C

At the empty place inside

G Am

Heartlessly helping himself to her

C G

Bad dreams, he worries, did he hear a goodbye?

F Am G

Or even hello?

Verse 3

Am C

They are one person

G

They are two alone

Am

They are three together

C G

They are for each other

Chorus

Am C

Stand by the stairway

G Am

You’ll see something certain to tell you

Am C

Confusion has its cost

G Am

Love isn’t lying, it’s loose in a lady who

C G

Lingers, saying she is lost

F Am GAm

And choking on hello

Practice tip: The Am-C-G pattern with the F chord creates beautiful harmonic movement. Try a Travis picking pattern: thumb alternates bass notes while fingers pick melody on the treble strings.

Amtap to play

Ctap to play

Gtap to play

Dtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

Am · C · G · D

Crosby, Stills & Nash’s gorgeous three-part harmony folk masterpiece. Intermediate difficulty in the key of Am.

Folk Fingerpicking (4/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑

1234

Tip: Fingerpick this song for the best effect. The arpeggiated chords create a shimmering, delicate texture that’s lost with strumming. Keep it gentle and precise.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am C

Helplessly hoping

G Am

Her harlequin hovers nearby

Am C

Awaiting a word

G Am

Gasping at glimpses of gentle true spirit

C G

He runs, wishing he could fly

F Am G

Only to trip at the sound of goodbye

Verse 2

Am C

Wordlessly watching

G Am

He waits by the window and wonders

Am C

At the empty place inside

G Am

Heartlessly helping himself to her

C G

Bad dreams, he worries, did he hear a goodbye?

F Am G

Or even hello?

Verse 3

Am C

They are one person

G

They are two alone

Am

They are three together

C G

They are for each other

Chorus

Am C

Stand by the stairway

G Am

You’ll see something certain to tell you

Am C

Confusion has its cost

G Am

Love isn’t lying, it’s loose in a lady who

C G

Lingers, saying she is lost

F Am GAm

And choking on hello

Practice tip: The Am-C-G pattern with the F chord creates beautiful harmonic movement. Try a Travis picking pattern: thumb alternates bass notes while fingers pick melody on the treble strings.

Amtap to play

Ctap to play

Gtap to play

Dtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

Am · C · G · D

Crosby, Stills & Nash’s gorgeous three-part harmony folk masterpiece. Intermediate difficulty in the key of Am.

Folk Fingerpicking (4/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑

1234

Tip: Fingerpick this song for the best effect. The arpeggiated chords create a shimmering, delicate texture that’s lost with strumming. Keep it gentle and precise.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am C

Helplessly hoping

G Am

Her harlequin hovers nearby

Am C

Awaiting a word

G Am

Gasping at glimpses of gentle true spirit

C G

He runs, wishing he could fly

F Am G

Only to trip at the sound of goodbye

Verse 2

Am C

Wordlessly watching

G Am

He waits by the window and wonders

Am C

At the empty place inside

G Am

Heartlessly helping himself to her

C G

Bad dreams, he worries, did he hear a goodbye?

F Am G

Or even hello?

Verse 3

Am C

They are one person

G

They are two alone

Am

They are three together

C G

They are for each other

Chorus

Am C

Stand by the stairway

G Am

You’ll see something certain to tell you

Am C

Confusion has its cost

G Am

Love isn’t lying, it’s loose in a lady who

C G

Lingers, saying she is lost

F Am GAm

And choking on hello

Practice tip: The Am-C-G pattern with the F chord creates beautiful harmonic movement. Try a Travis picking pattern: thumb alternates bass notes while fingers pick melody on the treble strings.

Amtap to play

Ctap to play

Gtap to play

Dtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

Am · C · G · D

Crosby, Stills & Nash’s gorgeous three-part harmony folk masterpiece. Intermediate difficulty in the key of Am.

Folk Fingerpicking (4/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑

1234

Tip: Fingerpick this song for the best effect. The arpeggiated chords create a shimmering, delicate texture that’s lost with strumming. Keep it gentle and precise.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am C

Helplessly hoping

G Am

Her harlequin hovers nearby

Am C

Awaiting a word

G Am

Gasping at glimpses of gentle true spirit

C G

He runs, wishing he could fly

F Am G

Only to trip at the sound of goodbye

Verse 2

Am C

Wordlessly watching

G Am

He waits by the window and wonders

Am C

At the empty place inside

G Am

Heartlessly helping himself to her

C G

Bad dreams, he worries, did he hear a goodbye?

F Am G

Or even hello?

Verse 3

Am C

They are one person

G

They are two alone

Am

They are three together

C G

They are for each other

Chorus

Am C

Stand by the stairway

G Am

You’ll see something certain to tell you

Am C

Confusion has its cost

G Am

Love isn’t lying, it’s loose in a lady who

C G

Lingers, saying she is lost

F Am GAm

And choking on hello

Practice tip: The Am-C-G pattern with the F chord creates beautiful harmonic movement. Try a Travis picking pattern: thumb alternates bass notes while fingers pick melody on the treble strings.

Amtap to play

Ctap to play

Gtap to play

Dtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

Am · C · G · D

Crosby, Stills & Nash’s gorgeous three-part harmony folk masterpiece. Intermediate difficulty in the key of Am.

Folk Fingerpicking (4/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑

1234

Tip: Fingerpick this song for the best effect. The arpeggiated chords create a shimmering, delicate texture that’s lost with strumming. Keep it gentle and precise.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am C

Helplessly hoping

G Am

Her harlequin hovers nearby

Am C

Awaiting a word

G Am

Gasping at glimpses of gentle true spirit

C G

He runs, wishing he could fly

F Am G

Only to trip at the sound of goodbye

Verse 2

Am C

Wordlessly watching

G Am

He waits by the window and wonders

Am C

At the empty place inside

G Am

Heartlessly helping himself to her

C G

Bad dreams, he worries, did he hear a goodbye?

F Am G

Or even hello?

Verse 3

Am C

They are one person

G

They are two alone

Am

They are three together

C G

They are for each other

Chorus

Am C

Stand by the stairway

G Am

You’ll see something certain to tell you

Am C

Confusion has its cost

G Am

Love isn’t lying, it’s loose in a lady who

C G

Lingers, saying she is lost

F Am GAm

And choking on hello

Practice tip: The Am-C-G pattern with the F chord creates beautiful harmonic movement. Try a Travis picking pattern: thumb alternates bass notes while fingers pick melody on the treble strings.

Amtap to play

Ctap to play

Gtap to play

Dtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

Am · C · G · D

Crosby, Stills & Nash’s gorgeous three-part harmony folk masterpiece. Intermediate difficulty in the key of Am.

Folk Fingerpicking (4/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑

1234

Tip: Fingerpick this song for the best effect. The arpeggiated chords create a shimmering, delicate texture that’s lost with strumming. Keep it gentle and precise.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am C

Helplessly hoping

G Am

Her harlequin hovers nearby

Am C

Awaiting a word

G Am

Gasping at glimpses of gentle true spirit

C G

He runs, wishing he could fly

F Am G

Only to trip at the sound of goodbye

Verse 2

Am C

Wordlessly watching

G Am

He waits by the window and wonders

Am C

At the empty place inside

G Am

Heartlessly helping himself to her

C G

Bad dreams, he worries, did he hear a goodbye?

F Am G

Or even hello?

Verse 3

Am C

They are one person

G

They are two alone

Am

They are three together

C G

They are for each other

Chorus

Am C

Stand by the stairway

G Am

You’ll see something certain to tell you

Am C

Confusion has its cost

G Am

Love isn’t lying, it’s loose in a lady who

C G

Lingers, saying she is lost

F Am GAm

And choking on hello

Practice tip: The Am-C-G pattern with the F chord creates beautiful harmonic movement. Try a Travis picking pattern: thumb alternates bass notes while fingers pick melody on the treble strings.