Bruce Springsteen - The Ties That Bind: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "The Ties That Bind" 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 The Ties That Bind Guitar Chords and Lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

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 "The Ties That Bind" smoothly on your guitar.

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

C
You been hurt and you're all cried out you say
F
You walk down the street pushing people outta your
 C
way
You packed your bags and all alone you wanna ride
F
You don't want nothing, don't need no one by your
side
                       C                        G
You're walking tough, baby but you're walking blind
                  F
To the ties that bind

Chorus:
               C  G  F
The ties that bind
               C  G                F  G C
Now you can't break the ties that bind

Cheap romance, it's all just, just a crutch
You don't want nothin' that anybody can touch
You're so afraid of being somebody's fool
Not walkin' tough, baby, not walkin' cool
You walk cool, but darlin', can you walk the line
And face the ties that bind?

Chorus

   G                       Am     F
Oh I, I'd rather feel the hurt inside, yes
         G
I would darling
                              Am         F
Than know the emptiness your heart must hide
             C                    G
Yes I would darling, yes I would darling,
             F G
Yes I would baby

You sit and wonder just who's gonna stop the rain
Who'll ease the sadness?
Who's gonna quiet your pain?
It's a long dark highway and a thin white line
Connecting, baby, your heart to mine
We're runnin' now, but, darlin',
we will stand in time
To face the ties that bind

               D  A G
The ties that bind
               D  A                G
Now you can't break the ties that bind
            D   A                G
You can't forsake the ties that bind
        A   D   D G  D
Whoa, whoa, oh


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

A

Guitar chord A

Am

Guitar chord Am

C

Guitar chord C

D

Guitar chord D

F

Guitar chord F

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 "The Ties That Bind" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "The Ties That Bind" by Bruce Springsteen.

Bruce Springsteen Song List