Stand By Me | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
| A | A | F#m | F#m |
| D | E | A | A |
Verse 1
| A | A | F#m | F#m |
When the night has come, and the land is dark.
| D | E | A | A |
And the moon, is the only, light we’ll see.
| A | A | F#m | F#m |
No, I won’t, be afraid, oh I won’t, be afraid.
| D | E | A | A |
Just as long, as you stand, stand by me.
Chorus 1
| A | A | F#m | F#m |
So darlin’, darlin’, stand by me, oh, stand by me.
| D | E | A | A |
Oh, stand, stand by me. Stand by me.
Verse 2
If the sky that we look upon, should tumble and fall.
Or the mountain, should crumble to the sea.
I won’t cry, I won’t cry, no I won’t, shed a tear.
Just as long, as you stand, stand by me.
Chorus 2
And darlin’, darlin’, stand by me, oh stand by me.
Oh, stand now. Stand by me, stand by me.
Solo
| A | Aadd9 | F#m11 | F#m7 |
| Dsus2 | E | Aadd9 | Aadd9 |
| Aadd9 | Aadd9 | F#m7 | F#m7 |
| Dadd9 | E | Aadd9 | Aadd9 |
Chorus 3
And darlin’, darlin’, stand by me, oh stand by me.
Oh, stand now, stand by me, stand by me.
Outro
| A | A | F#m | F#m |
Whenever you’re in trouble won’t you. Stand, by me? Oh, stand by me, woah won’t you,
| D | E | A | A |
Stand now? Oh, stand, stand by me.
Stand By Me Chords: Exploring the Fretboard and Incorporating the Bass Line
Stand By Me features a classic ’50s progression, also known as the Stand By Me changes — the I – VI – IV – V. In the key of A, the diatonic chords are:
||: A (I) | A | F#m (VI) | F#m |
| D (IV) | E (V) | A (I) | A :||
Since the progression remains the same throughout the song, it’s an essential addition to any cover band’s repertoire. Its simplicity makes it easy to learn and instantly recognisable to any audience.
To take your playing to the next level, try using this as an opportunity to explore your CAGED chord shapes. Play the I – VI – IV – V progression in different positions on the fretboard. This is not only helpful for playing Stand By Me but also boosts your overall fretboard knowledge.
Many singers prefer to change the key of Stand By Me, so it’s worth practising playing in different keys. If you’re playing along with the original recording, make sure your tuning is adjusted. Use my online guitar tuner to switch from 440Hz to 443Hz to match Ben E. King’s recording.
If you’re playing Stand By Me solo on an acoustic guitar, consider the bassline and build your part around it. To help with this, I’ve created a TAB that starts with the bassline and builds the rest of the part. You can check it out here: Stand By Me – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
The solo can be remembered by writing the chords with extensions, like this:
| A | Aadd9 | F#m11 | F#m7 |
| Dsus2 | E | Aadd9 | Aadd9 |
| Aadd9 | Aadd9 | F#m7 | F#m7 |
| Dadd9 | E | Aadd9 | Aadd9 |
Once you’re comfortable with the TAB, all you need is a simple chord chart to play along.
Stand By Me Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Stand By Me chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Stand By Me chord chart iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
Stand By Me: A Song That Keeps Coming Back
Originally released in 1961 by Ben E. King, Stand By Me was initially intended for King’s previous band, The Drifters, but they didn’t like it.
While recording another song, Spanish Harlem, Ben had some spare studio time and decided to record what would become his signature song — one of the biggest hits of all time. Stand By Me reached #4 on the U.S. charts and clinched the top spot in Canada, Ireland, and the U.K.
Since then, the song has been covered by numerous artists. Adriano Celentano’s Italian version in 1962 reached #1 in Italy, followed by Otis Redding‘s 1964 cover. In 1975, John Lennon released his own version, bringing the song back to the charts before his five-year break from recording.
The song had another resurgence in 1987 when the movie Stand By Me, based on Stephen King’s novella The Body, became a worldwide hit. The film’s video, featuring River Phoenix, brought the song back to #1 in the U.K.
The song’s popularity didn’t stop there. In 2015, Tracy Chapman released her own version, and in 2018, my friend Elaine and her choir, The Kingdom Choir, performed it at the Royal Wedding of Harry and Meghan, putting it back in the charts.
Stand By Me has been covered by over 400 artists, including Florence + The Machine, and countless cover bands perform it every Saturday night across the world.
Stand By Me Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Stand By Me (Ben E. King) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy: