Lean On Me | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
| C Dm Em F | F Em Dm C | C Dm Em | Em Dm |
| C Dm Em F | F Em Dm C | C Dm Em G | G C |
Hmm… hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm. Hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm. Hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm
Verse 1
| C Dm Em F | F Em Dm C | C Dm Em | Em Dm |
Sometimes in our lives, we all have pain, we all have sorrow.
| C Dm Em F | F Em Dm C | C Dm Em G | G C |
But if we are wise, we know that there’s, always tomorrow.
Chorus 1
| C Dm Em F | F Em Dm C | C Dm Em | Em Dm |
Lean on me, when you’re not strong and I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on.
| C Dm Em F | F Em Dm C | C Dm Em G | G C |
For it won’t be long, ’til I’m gonna need, somebody to lean on.
Verse 2
| C Dm Em F | F Em Dm C | C Dm Em | Em Dm |
Please swallow your pride, if I have things, you need to borrow.
| C Dm Em F | F Em Dm C | C Dm Em G | G C (G A) |
For no one can fill, those of your needs, that you won’t let show.
Bridge 1
| C N.C (G A) | C N.C (G A) | C N.C (G A) | C N.C (G A) |
You just call on me brother when you need a hand, we all need somebody to lean on.
| C N.C (G A) | C N.C (G A) | C N.C (E F F# G) | G C |
I just might have a problem that you’ll understand, we all need somebody to lean on.
Chorus 2
| C Dm Em F | F Em Dm C | C Dm Em | Em Dm |
Lean on me, when you’re not strong and I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on.
| C Dm Em F | F Em Dm C | C Dm Em G | G C |
For it won’t be long, ’til I’m gonna need, somebody to lean on.
Bridge 2
| C N.C (G A) | C N.C (G A) | C N.C (G A) | C N.C (G A) |
You just call on me brother when you need a hand, we all need somebody to lean on.
| C N.C (G A) | C N.C (G A) | C N.C (E F F# G) | G C |
I just might have a problem that you’ll understand, we all need somebody to lean on.
Verse 3
| C Dm Em F | F Em Dm C | C Dm Em | Em Dm |
If there is a load, you have to bear, that you can’t carry.
| C Dm Em F | F Em Dm C | C Dm Em G | G C |
I’m right up the road, I’ll share your load, if you just call me.
Outro
||: Dm C | Dm C :||
Call me, if you need a friend (Call me) Call me yeah a-ha.
(Call me) If you need a friend (Call me) If you ever need a friend.
(Call me) Call me. (Call me) Call me.
(Call me) Call me. (Call me) Call me.
(Call me) If you need a friend (Call me) Call me.
(Call me) Call me. (Call me) Call me.
(Call me) Call me. (Call me).
Lean On Me’s chords and progressions
The super simple, but extremely powerful chord progression of Lean On Me by Bill Withers is in the key of C and breaks no harmonic rules.
We simply move up the scale from chord I – IV, like this: C – Dm – Em – F, and then back down again: F – Em – Dm – C.
Instead of simply repeating this pattern, we next stop at Em and then go back one step of the scale like this: C – Dm – Em – Dm.
The second half of the progression starts in the same way but ends differently as we go to a G, like this: C – Dm – Em – G – C. This is what makes up both the verse and chorus, the full 8 bars of Lean On Me’s chords look like this:
| C Dm Em F | F Em Dm C | C Dm Em | Em Dm |
| C Dm Em F | F Em Dm C | C Dm Em G | G C |
The only other part is the bridge, which is mainly without chords, just a bass leading to C, like this:
||: C N.C (G A) :||
The final two bars of the bridge have a longer bass line and end at chord V before we resolve to chord I, like this:
| C N.C (E F F# G) | G C |
That’s all there is to the chords of Lean On Me. Simplicity is the name of the game, it makes it sound like a hymn, a traditional song, something that has been around forever. Well, it certainly will be!
Lean On Me chords | Related pages
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Most intermediate acoustic tunes can’t be played using just basic open-position chords. We have to move up the fretboard and play CAGED barre chords as well.
We incorporate bass lines, add licks, extend chords, and play vocal melodies. Most importantly, we’ll invent second guitar parts and play these songs together.
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The intermediate electric tunes will help you with learning the CAGED system all over the fretboard, both for chords and pentatonic scales.
Learn these Motown/Soul classics, and you’ll not just improve dramatically but also gain yourself a repertoire.
Five similar tunes with chords and lyrics
- (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
- I Say A Little Prayer
- If I Ain’t Got You
- Just The Two Of Us
- You’ve Got A Friend
Bill Withers
Bill Withers was an American singer-songwriter who performed and recorded from the late 60s until the mid-80s.
Some of his best-known songs include Ain’t No Sunshine, Use Me, Lovely Day, Lean on Me, Grandma’s Hands, and Just The Two Of Us.
Bill Withers on the web
Ballads
The perfect first dance or an emotional piece for your next audition, this collection of ballads is great for working on your expression.
Learn tunes from Burt Bacharach, Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Eva Cassidy, Ben Harper, Etta James, Chet Baker, Elvis, Norah Jones, and many more.
Motown & Soul
You can learn how to play these Motown & Soul tunes, and in doing so, gain yourself a repertoire so you can jam with, or even join a working band.
Study these tunes in-depth and you will map out the fretboard, master the CAGED system, and learn how to design a rhythm guitar part that works in a band.
