Can The Circle Be Unbroken Chords

KeyA CapoNone TuningStandard Difficulty Plays1.0K

Can The Circle Be Unbroken by The Carter Family 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
  			                A 
    I was standing by the window, 
                  D                       A 
    on one cold and cloudy day, 

    and I saw the hearse come rolling 
               E                           A 
    for to carry my mother away. 

               A                                            D                           A 
Can the circle be unbroken, bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye, 
                                                               E                       A 
there's a better home a-waiting, in the sky, Lord, in the sky. 

                A 
    Lord, I told the undertaker, 
              D                             A 
    undertaker, please drive slow, 

    for this body you are hauling, 
                 E                     A 
    Lord, I hate to see her go. 

               A                                            D                           A 
Can the circle be unbroken, bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye, 
                                                               E                       A 
there's a better home a-waiting, in the sky, Lord, in the sky. 

       A 
    I followed close behind her, 
                  D                       A 
    tried to hold up and be brave, 

    but I could not hide my sorrow, 
                      E                       A 
    when they laid her in the grave. 

               A                                            D                           A 
Can the circle be unbroken, bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye, 
                                                               E                       A 
there's a better home a-waiting, in the sky, Lord, in the sky. 

                        A 
    Went back home, Lord, my home was lonesome, 
                         D                        A 
    missed my mother, she was gone. 

    All my brothers, sisters crying, 
                  E                         A 
    what a home so sad and lone. 

               A                                            D                           A 
Can the circle be unbroken, bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye, 
                                                               E                       A 
there's a better home a-waiting, in the sky, Lord, in the sky. 
    	

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