Born Under A Bad Sign | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
| (Gb Ab B Db E) | Db7 | Db7 |
Chorus 1
| Db7 | Db7 | Db7 | Db7 (Gb G) |
Born under a bad sign, I’ve been down since I began to crawl.
| Ab7 | Gb7 | Db7 | Db7 |
If it wasn’t for bad luck, you know I wouldn’t have no luck at all.
Verse 1
| Db7 | Db7 | Db7 | Db7 |
Hard luck and trouble, is my only friend, I’ve been on my own, ever since I was ten.
Chorus 2
| Db7 | Db7 | Db7 | Db7 (Gb G) |
Born under a bad sign, I’ve been down since I began to crawl.
| Ab7 | Gb7 | Db7 | Db7 |
If it wasn’t for bad luck, you know I wouldn’t have no luck at all.
Verse 2
| Db7 | Db7 | Db7 | Db7 |
I can’t read, haven’t learned how to write, my whole life has been one big fight.
Chorus 3
| Db7 | Db7 | Db7 | Db7 (Gb G) |
Born under a bad sign, I’ve been down since I began to crawl.
| Ab7 | Gb7 | Db7 | Db7 |
If it wasn’t for bad luck, I say I wouldn’t have no luck at all. I ain’t no lyin’.
Solo
| Db7 | Db7 | Db7 | Db7 |
Aw!
Turnaround
| Ab7 (G7) | Gb7 (G7) |
You know if it wasn’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have no kinda luck.
| Ab7 (G7) | Gb7 N.C | Db7 | Db7 |
If it wasn’t for real bad luck, I wouldn’t have no luck at all.
Verse 3
| Db7 | Db7 | Db7 | Db7 |
You know wine and women, is all I crave, a big-legged woman is gonna carry me, to my grave.
Chorus 4
| Db7 | Db7 | Db7 | Db7 (Gb G) |
Born under a bad sign, I’ve been down since I began to crawl.
| Ab7 | Gb7 | Db7 | Db7 |
If it wasn’t for bad luck, I tell I wouldn’t have no luck at all.
Outro
| Db7 | Db7 | Db7 | Db7 | Db7 | Db7 |
Yeah, I’m a bad luck boy, been havin’ bad luck all of my days, yes.
Born Under A Bad Sign Chords: Learn the progressions
Albert King‘s biggest hit, Born Under A Bad Sign was written by Booker T. Jones who recorded it with his band Booker T. and The M.G.’s, the house band of the Stax label.
Also featured on this now-legendary recording were the famous Memphis horns. Recorded in 1967, the song didn’t climb high in the charts but has since become a blues standard, covered by many artists.
Cream recorded their version only a year later and Albert has included it on all his greatest hits, live recordings, and collaborations ever since.
Using chords, lyrics, and the video guitar lesson above, you can learn how to play Mr. Albert King’s signature song.
The chord progression cuts out the traditional I – IV movement of a blues and instead stays on chord I. When it finally moves, it is straight to the V chord and into the turnaround, like this:
| Db7 | Db7 | Db7 | Db7 (Gb G) |
| Ab7 | Gb7 | Db7 | Db7 |
This may seem like a small change but it does set Born Under A Bad Sign’s chords apart from the rest and as you know if you study hit songwriting, all you need is to twist the familiar and you may have yourself a hit.
To achieve the huge bends that Albert does it helps to turn the guitar upside down and bend towards the floor as the man himself does, but perhaps you should start with tuning down a half step first and think of Born Under A Bad Sign’s chords as if in the key of D!
Use my free online guitar tuner to get there.
Born Under A Bad Sign Chords | Related Pages
Five similar tunes with chords and lyrics
- Crossroads chords by Cream
- Hold On, I’m Comin’ chords by Sam & Dave
- In the Midnight Hour chords by Otis Redding
- Knock On Wood chords by Eddie Floyd
- Take Me To The River chords by Al Green
Booker T. & The M.G.’s tunes
Led by piano and organ player Booker T. Jones, the Stax Records house band played behind numerous legendary artists.
Hits include Green Onions, Born Under A Bad Sign, Dock Of The Bay, Ain’t No Sunshine, Soul Man, Hold On I’m Coming, Knock On Wood, and Respect.
Booker T. & The M.G.’s on the web
Albert King tunes
With his upside-down Flying V, huge bends, and imposing nature, Albert King is a legend among legends.
Most great blues guitar players cite the “Velvet Bulldozer” as one of their main influences.
Albert King on the web
Blues & Jazz
The foundation upon which popular music stands, Blues & Jazz tunes must be explored in depth by the serious guitar player.
Learn from the best by studying the greatest tunes of the genres. Study the iconic licks and melodies to grasp the language of these most important styles.
About me | Dan Lundholm
This was a guitar lesson about Born Under A Bad Sign chords, by Dan Lundholm. Discover more about him and learn guitar with Spytunes.
Most importantly, find out why you should learn guitar through playing tunes, not practising scales, and studying theory in isolation.
