The Who - Beads On One String: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "Beads On One String" 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.

          F
Don't you ever say never
   Dm7
It don't mean a thing
         Am
Goin’ to get us together
     A#
Like beads on one string
F                           Dm7
There's always someone to blame
Dm7
You don't have to look far, but
Am                          A#
Now the world is a fleeting dot in the stars
F
I don't care how you name Him
Dm7
He is always the same
Am
I just know that we shame Him
         A#
When we kill in His name

Chorus:
C             Am
This can't go on forever
F              A#
This war in a ring
C                Am
Gotta bring us together
F                    G
Like beads on one string

Don't you ever say never
(Don't you ever say never)
'Cause it don't mean a thing
(It don't mean a thing)
Going to get us together
(Gonna get us together)
Like beads on one string
(Like beads on one string)
Every one of us perfect
(Like beads on one string)
But we all have a flaw
(Like beads on one string)
Then we look for the defects
and we go off to war
(Like beads on one string)
And we send all our children
(Like beads on one string)
Again and again
(Like beads on one string)
It's our fear that will fill them
(Like beads on one string)
But we're really the same

Chorus:
This can't go on forever
This war in a ring
Gotta bring us together
Like beads on one string

Don't you ever say never
(Don't you ever say never)
'Cause it don't mean a thing
(It don't mean a thing)
Going to get us together
(Gonna get us together)
Like beads on one string
(Like beads on one string)
Don't you ever say never
(Like beads on one string)
'Cause it don't mean a thing
(Like beads on one string)
(Like beads on one string)
Don't you ever say never

G                    Em7
(Like beads on one string)
                     Bm
(Like beads on one string)
                      C
(Like beads on one string)
                    G
Don’t you ever say never
(Like beads on one string)
    Em7
To never
(Like beads on one string)
                  Bm
Got to know me a ring
(Like beads on one string)
                C                          G
Gotta get us together like beads on one string
(Like beads on one string)
G     Em7
Ooh-mh
(Like beads on one string)
      Bm
Like beads on a string
(Like beads on one string)
                      C
(Like beads on one string)
                      G
(Like beads on one string)


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

Am

Guitar chord Am

A#

Guitar chord A#

C

Guitar chord C

Dm

Guitar chord Dm

Dm7

Guitar chord Dm7

Em

Guitar chord Em

Em7

Guitar chord Em7

F

Guitar chord F

G

Guitar chord G

Bm

Guitar chord Bm

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 "Beads On One String" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "Beads On One String" by The Who.

The Who Song List