Ballad for a Friend

Bob Dylan - Ballad for a Friend: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "Ballad for a Friend" 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.

 G       D              G         D
Sad I'm sittin' on the railroad track
 G            D
Watchin' that old smokestack
  G                        D
Train is a-leavin' but it won't be back.

Years ago we hung around,
Watchin' trains roll through the town.
Now that train is a-graveyard bound.

Where we go up in that North Country,
Lakes and streams and mines so free,
I had no better friend than he.

Something happened to him that day,
I thought I heard a stranger say,
I hung my head and stole away.

A diesel truck was rollin' slow,
Pullin' down a heavy load.
It left him on a Utah road.

They carried him back to his home town,
His mother cried, his sister moaned,
Listin' to them church bells tone.

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Guitar Chord Diagrams

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.

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Chords and Lyrics
Chord Diagrams and Key Transposition

If you are also interested in learning how to play "Ballad for a Friend" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "Ballad for a Friend" by Bob Dylan.

Bob Dylan - Ballad for a Friend: Guitar Chords

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