Hard Times Are Relative chords by Jason Boland

Chords with lyrics

Tuning: Standard (E MajorE A augmentedA D MajorD G+G BB E MajorE)

Key: C majorC

Difficulty: Intermediate

Verse 1:
   C majorC     FF     G+G         C majorC
Just me and my sister, a dog and a piece of land
  C majorC        FF                 G+G
My sister’s name is Darlene and the dog is called Cheyenne
  FF         G+G          C majorC      FF
Our folks both passed away last fall in the fire at the mill
  FF      C majorC       G+G      C majorC
We get by on a garden and whatever we can kill

Verse 2:
    C majorC          FF       G+G      C majorC
On the land there stands a cabin that our grandfather built
   C majorC      FF            G+G
When I’m away to hunt, I feel overrun with guilt
   FF       G+G          C majorC       FF
Cause Darlene’s all alone except for the dog and awful dreams
   FF       C majorC        G+G     C majorC
She’s seven years my younger and I’m only seventeen

Chorus:
  FF        C majorC      FF       C majorC
We need to fill the smokehouse, winters coming on
 C majorC    C/BC/B  A minorAm     FF        G+G
I know it isn’t easy, since mom and dad been gone
FF        C majorC      FF        A minorAm
We will keep on growing, two branches of the tree
C majorC       FF        G+G    C majorC
Hard times are relative when it comes to family

Verse 3:
    C majorC       FF       G+G         C majorC
In the morning I was off before the sun had kissed the ridge
 C majorC         FF                    G+G
Whistling new Jimmy Rogers tune as I crossed the coal train bridge
 FF        G+G       C majorC     FF
Two good days of hunting and an evening all alone
FF          C majorC         G+G        C majorC
I’ll quarter up what I take down then pack it all back home

Verse 4:
  C majorC       FF       G+G     C majorC
My head up in the clouds walking on uneven ground
  C majorC         FF                G+G
My boots slipped out beneath me and I came a crashing down
     FF     G+G            C majorC     FF
To the entrance of a cavern, its walls all were wet with moss
  FF       C majorC         G+G        C majorC
My rifle up there on the ledge said hope was looking lost

Chorus:
  FF        C majorC      FF       C majorC
We need to fill the smokehouse, winters coming on
 C majorC    C/BC/B  A minorAm     FF        G+G
I know it isn’t easy, since mom and dad been gone
FF        C majorC      FF        A minorAm
We will keep on growing, two branches of the tree
C majorC       FF        G+G    C majorC
Hard times are relative when it comes to family

Verse 5:
   C majorC       FF      G+G         C majorC
Three nights nearly frozen, my head filled up with doubt
  C majorC         FF             G+G
No matter how hard I tried there was no climbing out
  FF          G+G          C majorC        FF
I yelled for help then prayed the same and even yelled some prayers
FF         C majorC     G+G          C majorC
Tears fell at the thought of Darlene with no one there

Verse 6:
  C majorC       FF         G+G      C majorC
My mind began to flutter, like the wings of a dove
  C majorC          FF               C majorC
Coulda sworn that I was dreaming when Darlene appeared above
  FF       G+G     C majorC           FF
She lowered down a rope then tied it to a blackjack tree
FF           C majorC          G+G            C majorC
Cheyenne had found my drag rack trail and brought her straight to me

Chorus:
  FF        C majorC      FF       C majorC
We need to fill the smokehouse, winters coming on
 C majorC    C/BC/B  A minorAm     FF        G+G
I know it isn’t easy, since mom and dad been gone
FF        C majorC      FF        A minorAm
We will keep on growing, two branches of the tree
C majorC       FF        G+G    C majorC
Hard times are relative when it comes to family

Verse 7:
  C majorC      FF       G+G        C majorC
As proud as any father of this fearless little one
C majorC        FF                 G+G
Caring for a homestead while most kids are having fun
FF       G+G            C majorC        FF
Smiling on the way back home there were no words I could say
FF         C majorC         G+G              C majorC
Till we stopped to dress the 10 point buck she had shot along the way

Chorus:
  FF        C majorC      FF       C majorC
We need to fill the smokehouse, winters coming on
 C majorC    C/BC/B  A minorAm     FF        G+G
I know it isn’t easy, since mom and dad been gone
FF        C majorC      FF        A minorAm
We will keep on growing, two branches of the tree
C majorC       FF        G+G    C majorC
Hard times are relative when it comes to family