Alicia Keys - Underdog: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "Underdog" on your guitar with our chord guide. This page provides everything you need to perform this song on the guitar, including lyrics integrated with chords, chord diagrams, and a key transposer to match your vocal range.

For easier playing, use our Simplify Chords feature to remove difficult chords like barre.

                         Cm                   G#
She was walking in the street, looked up and noticed
        A#
He was nameless, he was homeless
                  Cm                      G#
She asked him his name and told him what hers was
               A#
He gave her a story 'bout life
                    Cm                      G#
With a glint in his eye and a corner of a smile
           A#               D#
One conversation, a simple moment
                 Cm              G#
The things that change us if we notice
         A#
When we look up sometimes

          Cm            G#
They said I would never make it
          A#                  D#
But I was built to break the mold
          Cm                   G#           A#
The only dream that I've been chasing is my own

Chorus:
                         Cm                      G#
So I sing a song for the hustlers trading at the bus
stop
        A#                   D#       A#/D
Single mothers waiting on a check to come
       Cm                G#
Young teachers, student doctors
             A#                           D#    A#/D
Sons on the front line knowing they don't get to run
Cm                   G#
This goes out to the Underdog
A#                  D#       A#/D
Keep on keeping at what you love
       Cm                G#
You'll find that someday soon enough
          A#
You will rise up, rise up, yeah

She's riding in a taxi back to the kitchen
Talking to the driver 'bout his wife and his
children
On the run from a country where they put you
in prison
For being a woman and speaking your mind
She looked in his eyes in the mirror and he smiled
One conversation, a single moment
The things that change us if we notice
When we look up sometimes

They said I would never make it
But I was built to break the mold
The only dream that I've been chasing is my own

Chorus:
So I sing a song for the hustlers trading at
the bus stop
Single mothers waiting on a check to come
Young teachers, student doctors
Sons on the front line knowing they don't
get to run
This goes out to the underdog
Keep on keeping at what you love
You'll find that someday soon enough
You will rise up, rise up, yeah

Everybody rise up
You gonna rise up, ayy

Chorus:
So I sing a song for the hustlers trading
at the bus stop
Single mothers waiting on a check to come
(Say you're gonna make it)
Young teachers, student doctors (Yeah)
Sons on the front line knowing they don't
get to run
This goes out to the underdog
Keep on keeping at what you love
You'll find that someday soon enough
You will rise up, rise up, yeah


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

A#

Guitar chord A#

Cm

Guitar chord Cm

D

Guitar chord D

D#

Guitar chord D#

G#

Guitar chord G#

Here you can see detailed diagrams for each guitar chord used in the song. Utilize our key transposer to adjust the chords to a key that better fits your singing range. Simply select the desired key, and the chords throughout this page will update automatically, ensuring you can play and sing comfortably.

If you are also interested in learning how to play "Underdog" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "Underdog" by Alicia Keys.