Thats The Way It Is Chords

KeyA CapoNone TuningStandard Difficulty Plays365

Thats The Way It Is by Johnny Cash is a beginner-friendly guitar song played in the key of A. It uses the chords A, D and E. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.

Transpose
A
Text
16
Speed
  			
Verse 
A 
Remember back in school we learned the golden rule 
    D                                   A 
Do unto others as you'd have and do to you 
         D                     A              D 
You're supposed to love me as much as I love you 
         E                         A 
It's a shame that ain't the way it is 
 A 
Lovers in a movie on that great big screen 
     D                                                  A 
He treats her like she's a queen she treats him like a king 
          D               A                  D 
Wouldn't that be nice if life is lived that way 
        E                           A 
It's a shame that ain't the way it is 
 
     D                                            A 
I'd like to start each morning with good morning dear 
     D                                 A 
And end each night with the goodnight kiss 
     D                                        A 
But all I have is your memory with me laying here 
        E                          A 
It's a shame but that's the way it is 

Verse 
   A 
A love song tells a story of a good love going bad 
       D                                                A 
Then paints a pretty pictures of that same love coming back 
   D                 A         D                      A 
I wish that I could sing it I wish that I could paint it 
        E                          A 
It's a shame that ain't the way it is 

     D                                            A 
I'd like to start each morning with good morning dear 
     D                                 A 
And end each night with the goodnight kiss 
     D                                        A 
But all I have is your memory with me laying here 
        E                          A 
It's a shame but that's the way it is 
        E                          A 
It's a shame but that's the way it is 
    	

Chord diagrams

Guitar tuner

--
Start the tuner and play a string

Reference tones

Standard tuning, lowest to highest. Click a string to play it; the string the mic hears is highlighted.

Click Start tuner and allow microphone access. The needle centers and turns green when a string is in tune (within 5 cents).
No microphone? You can still tap any string above to hear its exact reference pitch.

Metronome

100 BPM Andante