Bon Jovi - Do What You Can: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "Do What You Can" on your guitar with our detailed chord guide and lyrics. 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.

Learn Do What You Can Guitar Chords and Lyrics by Bon Jovi

This section will guide you through each part of the song, providing the guitar chords placed directly above the lyrics for easy playing. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, these elements will help you perform "Do What You Can" smoothly on your guitar.

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

                  G#
Tonight they’re shutting down the borders
             C#               G#
And they’ve boarded up the schools
                 Fm               D#
Small towns are rolling up their sidewalks,
                            G#
One last paycheck coming through
               G#
I know you're feeling kinda nervous
             C#            G#
We're all a little bit confused
    Fm               D#
Nothin's the same, this ain't a game
                     G#
We got to make it through

As we wave outside the window
Older loved ones stay inside
Moms and babies blowin' kisses
May be saving someone's life
They had to cancel graduation
It ain't fair to Skype the prom
Our kids sit home in isolation
TV news is always on

Chorus:
                G#                  C#          G#
When you can’t do what you do, you do what you can
     Fm                     D#                            G#
This ain’t my prayer, it’s just a thought I’m wanting to send
               G#                                C#         G#
Round here we bend but don’t break, down here we all understand
                Fm          D#                  G#
When you can’t do what you do, you do what you can

The chicken farm from Akansas bought workers P.P.E
Not before 500 more had succumbed to this disease
Honest men and honest women, working for an honest wage
I got a hundred point 1 fever
And we still got bills to pay

Chorus

              C#
They built a hospital on
                Fm                D#
East Meadow in Central Park last night
          C#
Doctors, nurses, truckers,
                      G#                D#
grocery store clerks manning the front line
      A#m7
I saw Red Cross on the Hudson
            C/G#
They turned off the Broadway lights
        C#
Another ambulance screams by
               D#
There by the grace of God go I

Although I'll keep my social distance
What this world needs is a hug
Until we find the vaccination
There's no substitute for love
So love yourself and love your family
Love your neighbor and your friend
Ain't it time we loved a stranger?
They're just a friend you ain't met yet

Chorus:
When you can’t do what you do, you do what you can
This ain’t my prayer, it’s just a thought I’m wanting to send
Round here we bend but don’t break, down here we all understand
When you can’t do what you do, you do what you can
When you can’t do what you do, you do what you can


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

A#m

Guitar chord A#m

C#

Guitar chord C#

C

Guitar chord C

D#

Guitar chord D#

E

Guitar chord E

Fm

Guitar chord Fm

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 "Do What You Can" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "Do What You Can" by Bon Jovi.

Bon Jovi Song List