Ben E. King - Stand By Me
Hello! Below you'll find my "Stand By Me" chords & lyrics chart as well as a tutorial video on how to play the piano accompaniment.
This classic song by Ben E. King has many great versions, including Otis Redding and John Lennon. It's got only 4 chords repeated throughout! The bassline and rhythms can be a bit tricky to play and sing together, but I give you lots of options in the video.
Enjoy!
Stand By Me Piano Tutorial
Here's a piano tutorial video for Stand By Me
Stand By Me Chords & Lyrics
[Intro]
| A | A | F#m | F#m | D | E7 | A | A |
| A | A | F#m | F#m | D | E7 | A | A |
[Verse 1]
A F#m
When the night has come and the land is dark
D E7 A
And the moon is the only light we'll see
A F#m
No, I won't be afraid, oh I won't be afraid
D E7 A
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
A F#m
When the night has come and the land is dark
D E7 A
And the moon is the only light we'll see
A F#m
No, I won't be afraid, oh I won't be afraid
D E7 A
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
[Chorus 1]
A F#m
So darling, darling, stand by me, oh stand by me
D E7 A
Oh stand, stand by me, stand by me
A F#m
So darling, darling, stand by me, oh stand by me
D E7 A
Oh stand, stand by me, stand by me
[Verse 2]
A F#m
If the sky that we look upon should tumble and fall
D E7 A
Or the mountain should crumble to the sea
A F#m
I won't cry, I won't cry, no I won't shed a tear
D E7 A
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
A F#m
If the sky that we look upon should tumble and fall
D E7 A
Or the mountain should crumble to the sea
A F#m
I won't cry, I won't cry, no I won't shed a tear
D E7 A
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
[Chorus 2]
A F#m
And darling, darling, stand by me, oh stand by me
D E7 A
Woah stand now, stand by me, stand by me
A F#m
And darling, darling, stand by me, oh stand by me
D E7 A
Woah stand now, stand by me, stand by me
[Instrumental]
| A | A | F#m | F#m | D | E7 | A | A | X2
| A | A | F#m | F#m | D | E7 | A | A | X2
[Chorus 3]
A F#m
Darling, darling, stand by me, oh stand by me
D E7 A
Oh stand now, stand by me, stand by me
A
Whenever you're in trouble would you
A F#m
stand by me, oh stand by me
D E7 A
Woah, would you stand now, oh stand, stand by me
—
Bassline Notes:
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |
Darling, darling, stand by me, oh stand by me
D E7 A
Oh stand now, stand by me, stand by me
A
Whenever you're in trouble would you
A F#m
stand by me, oh stand by me
D E7 A
Woah, would you stand now, oh stand, stand by me
—
Bassline Notes:
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |
A A EG# A A AG#
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |
F# F# E F# F# F#E
F# F# E F# F# F#E
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |
D D DF# E E EG#
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |
A A EG# A A EG#
A A EG# A A EG#
This document is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
This chord chart is here only to support online learning. We recommend buying official transcripts from a licensed and reputable publisher.
Stand By Me Piano Tips
1. Take It Slow: It's counterintuitive, but the quickest way to get comfortable and sound great playing a song is to practice it very slowly at first. Steady rhythm and counting are crucial to sounding like a pro, so let yourself get used to feeling the beat at a slow, easy tempo. Once you can nail "Stand By Me" slowly, *gradually* speed it up. You'll sound much better than if you jumped in at full speed!
2. Use The Pedal Wisely: Utilize the sustain pedal to connect the chords smoothly, timing your lifts with the arrival of a new chord. For help with sustain pedal timing, check out this video.
3. Simplify if need be: "Stand By Me" still sounds great even if you simply hold out the chords and ignore most of the rhythm patterns and extra details in the tutorial video. Feel free to keep it simple, especially if you sing while playing. As you get comfortable, you can always add the fancy stuff later.
