Chords + Lyrics | Young Hearts Run Free
Intro
||: C11 C9 | C11 C9 :||
Verse 1
| F F6 | Fmaj7 F6 F |
What’s the sense in sharing, this one and only life,
| F F6 | Fmaj7 F6 F |
endin’ up just another lost and lonely wife.
| Bb Bb6 | Bbmaj7 Bb6 Bb | F (F6) | F (F6) |
You’ll count up the years, and they will be filled with tears.
Verse 2
Love only breaks up, to start over again,
you’ll get the baby, but you won’t have your man.
While he is busy loving every woman that he can, uh-huh.
Bridge 1
| C11 C9 | C11 C9 |
Say I’m gonna leave, a hundred times a day.
| C11 C9 | C11 C9 | C11 C9 |
It’s easier said than done, when you just can’t break away (when you just can’t break away).
Chorus 1
||: Bb (Bb6) | Bb (Bb6) :||
Oh, young hearts, run free. Never be hung up, hung up like my man and me.
||: F (F6) | F (F6) :||
My man and me.
||: Bb (Bb6) | Bb (Bb6) :||
Oh, young hearts, to yourself be true. Don’t be no fool when love really don’t love you.
||: F (F6) | F (F6) :||
Don’t love you.
Verse 3
It’s high time now just one crack at life,
who wants to live it, in trouble and strife.
My mind must be free, to learn all I can about me, uh-hmm.
Verse 4
I’m gonna love me, for the rest of my days,
encourage the babies every time they say:
“Self-preservation is what’s really going on today”
Bridge 2
Say I’m gonna turn loose a thousand times a day.
But how can I turn loose, when I just can’t break away (when I just can’t break away).
Chorus 2
Oh, young hearts, run free. They’ll never be hung up, hung up like my man and me.
You and me.
Oh, young hearts, to yourself be true. Don’t be no fool when love really don’t love you.
Don’t love you.
Instrumental
||: C11 C9 | C11 C9 :||
Chorus 3
Oh, young hearts, run free. They’ll never be hung up, hung up like my man and me.
My man and me.
Oh, young hearts, to yourself be true. Don’t be no fool when love really don’t love you.
They don’t love you.
Oh, young hearts, run free. They’ll never be hung up, hung up like my man and me.
My man and me.
Oh, young hearts, to yourself be true. Don’t be no fool when love really don’t love you.
Don’t love you.
Oh, young hearts run free. They’ll never be hung up, hung up like my man and me.
My man and me.
Young Hearts Run Free Backing Tracks | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find two backing tracks for playing Young Hearts Run Free. I’ve used AI to extract the chords while keeping the drums and bass intact — with vocals included on the first track in the playlist.
After studying the chords and TAB, use these backing tracks to prepare for playing Young Hearts Run Free with a band.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
Essentially a I–IV–V song, Young Hearts Run Free gets its slick sound from chord extensions like 6, maj7, and 11.
Compare this progression with My Guy, and notice how the opening 11 chords resemble those in Never Too Much and Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough. Recognising these subtle differences will take your chord knowledge to the next level.
Intro
The intro and bridge revolve around C11 and C9. I like to move from 11 to 9 in the first bar, then mix them up more in the second. Loop this, and you can create some great chord licks.
Verse
When the verse starts, the F chord moves through F – F6 – Fmaj7 – F6 – F. The Bb follows the same pattern. Here’s the full verse progression:
||: F F6 | Fmaj7 F6 F :||
| Bb Bb6 | Bbmaj7 Bb6 Bb |
| F (F6) | F (F6) |
The final two bars have a different rhythm—follow the horns, and you’ll get it right. Need TAB? Here’s a link to that part of the lesson: Young Hearts Run Free – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Chorus
For the chorus, we start on the IV chord (Bb), briefly adding a 6 before resolving back. I’ve indicated this by placing Bb6 in brackets in the chords and lyrics above.
Again, we mirror this movement when shifting from Bb to F, just as we did from F to Bb earlier.
Here’s a chord chart for Young Hearts Run Free, the same one you’ll find in the backing track videos above. Use it as you prepare to play this classic with a band. If you share it with your bandmates, make sure everyone plays the correct chords—it’s always a good idea!
Young Hearts Run Free Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
You can download the chord chart in two formats: PDF and iReal Pro.
Young Hearts Run Free TAB | Course Preview
In the course, there’s custom-made TAB for all sections of Young Hearts Run Free, making this classic much easier to play with a band than the chords may appear at first glance.
As a preview, here’s the intro, which also comes back for the bridge and instrumental section. It moves between the chords C11 and C9.
Notice how you don’t need to play the full chord, only target the important notes—you leave the bass note to the bass player!
Born out of a conversation between David and Candi
During a lunch with songwriter David Crawford, Candi Staton opened up about her relationship struggles. Inspired by their conversation, David instantly knew he had a song that would stand the test of time.
He was right—decades later, this classic disco smash is still a favourite on the radio and a staple for bands and DJs alike.
Originally released in 1976, Young Hearts Run Free soared to #1 in the U.S., #2 in the U.K., and #4 in Australia.
Beyond its enduring presence in disco setlists, the song saw a notable cover in 1996 by Kym Mazelle for the Romeo + Juliet soundtrack.
Study the chords and lyrics above carefully to see how Young Hearts Run Free was crafted!
Young Hearts Run Free Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Young Hearts Run Free (Candi Staton) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
