People Ain't No Good by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

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Piano Intro:
 
G|------------------------------------------------------------------ -----|
D|------------------3------3--2--5--------3/5-----3------3--2-------------|
A|----3-----2---0h2------3----------3------------------3----------3-----2-|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------3----------|
 
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--------(7)-(7)-7--5-----5-----/7-----/9----------|
A|----0-----------------7--------------- -----------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
 
 
Verse 1: 'People just ain't no good...'
 
G|------------------------------------------------------------------ -----|
D|------------------3------3--2--5--------3/5-----3------3--2-------------|
A|----3-----2---0h2------3----------3------------------3----------3-----2-|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------3----------|
 
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--------(7)-(7)-7--5-----5-----/7-----/9----------|
A|----0-----------------7--------------- -----------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

Verse 2: 'We were married under cherry trees'
 
G|------------------------------------------------------------------ -----|
D|------------------3------3--2--5--------3/5-----3------3--2-------------|
A|----3-----2---0h2------3----------3------------------3----------3-----2-|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------3----------|
 
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--------(7)-(7)-7--5-----5-----/7-----/9----------|
A|----0-----------------7--------------- -----------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
 
 
Verse 3: 'The sun would stream on the sheets'
 
G|------------------------------------------------------------------ -----|
D|------------------3------3--2--5--------3/5-----3------3--2-------------|
A|----3-----2---0h2------3----------3------------------3----------3-----2-|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------3----------|
 
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--------(7)-(7)-7--5-----5-----/7-----/9----------|
A|----0-----------------7--------------- -----------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
 
 
Chorus:'People they ain't no good...'
 
G|------------------------------- -------| x3
D|---------------------------------------|
A|--3--3--3--2--2--2--0--0--0-----0--2---|
E|-----------------------------3---------|
 
G|---------------------------------------------------------------|
D|--3--3--3--2--2--2--0--0--(7)-(7)-7--5-----5-----/7-----/9-----|
A|----------------------------------------7----------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
 
 
Verse 4:'Seasons came and seasons went...'
 
G|------------------------------------------------------------------ -----|
D|------------------3------3--2--5--------3/5-----3------3--2-------------|
A|----3-----2---0h2------3----------3------------------3----------3-----2-|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------3----------|
 
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--------(7)-(7)-7--5-----5-----/7-----/9----------|
A|----0-----------------7--------------- -----------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
 
 
Verse 5:'The winter slammed us like a fist...'
 
G|------------------------------------------------------------------ -----|
D|------------------3------3--2--5--------3/5-----3------3--2-------------|
A|----3-----2---0h2------3----------3------------------3----------3-----2-|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------3----------|
 
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--------(7)-(7)-7--5-----5-----/7-----/9----------|
A|----0-----------------7--------------- -----------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
 
 
Chorus:'People they ain't no good...'
 
G|------------------------------- -------| x3
D|---------------------------------------|
A|--3--3--3--2--2--2--0--0--0-----0--2---|
E|-----------------------------3---------|
 
G|---------------------------------------------------------------|
D|--3--3--3--2--2--2--0--0--(7)-(7)-7--5-----5-----/7-----/9-----|
A|----------------------------------------7----------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
 
 
Verse 6:'To our love send a dozen white lillies...'
 
G|------------------------------------------------------------------ -----|
D|------------------3------3--2--5--------3/5-----3------3--2-------------|
A|----3-----2---0h2------3----------3------------------3----------3-----2-|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------3----------|
 
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--------(7)-(7)-7--5-----5-----/7-----/9----------|
A|----0-----------------7--------------- -----------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
 
 
Verse 7:'To our love send back all the letters...'
 
G|------------------------------------------------------------------ -----|
D|------------------3------3--2--5--------3/5-----3------3--2-------------|
A|----3-----2---0h2------3----------3------------------3----------3-----2-|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------3----------|
 
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--------(7)-(7)-7--5-----5-----/7-----/9----------|
A|----0-----------------7--------------- -----------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
 
 
Verse 8:'Ain't that in their hearts they're bad'
 
G|------------------------------------------------------------------ -----|
D|------------------3------3--2--5--------3/5-----3------3--2-------------|
A|----3-----2---0h2------3----------3------------------3----------3-----2-|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------3----------|
 
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--------(7)-(7)-7--5-----5-----/7-----/9----------|
A|----0-----------------7--------------- -----------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
 
 
Verse 9:'Ain't that in their hearts they're bad'(2)
 
G|------------------------------------------------------------------ -----|
D|------------------3------3--2--5--------3/5-----3------3--2-------------|
A|----3-----2---0h2------3----------3------------------3----------3-----2-|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------3----------|
 
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--------(7)-(7)-7--5-----5-----/7-----/9----------|
A|----0-----------------7--------------- -----------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
 
 
Chorus:'People they ain't no good...' (This one ends differently)
 
G|------------------------------- -------| x3
D|---------------------------------------|
A|--3--3--3--2--2--2--0--0--0-----0--2---|
E|-----------------------------3---------|
 
G|----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|--3--3--3--2--2--2--0--0--(7)-(7)-7--5-----5--------------------|
A|----------------------------------------7--------5---2----------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------3-------|
 
 
Chorus:'People they ain't no good...' (No slides this time)
 
G|------------------------------- -------| x3
D|---------------------------------------|
A|--3--3--3--2--2--2--0--0--0-----0--2---|
E|-----------------------------3---------|
 
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--3--3--3--2--2--2--0--0--(7)-(7)-7--5-----5------|
A|----------------------------------------7---------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

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People Ain't No Good (Chords)

People Ain't No Good Bass Tab Info

People Ain't No Good Bass Tab by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Last Updated: September 10, 2025