We Shall Overcome – Easy Guitar Tutorial
Learn to play We Shall Overcome on guitar with this easy tutorial. Includes basic chords, strumming tips, and a beginner-friendly breakdown.
We Shall Overcome – Guitar Lesson
“We Shall Overcome” is one of the most powerful and historically significant folk songs of all time. Rooted in gospel music and later adopted by the civil rights movement, this song is simple yet deeply moving. Whether you’re a beginner looking for an easy tune to play or want to add this classic to your repertoire, this lesson will guide you through the basics.
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Chords Used: G, C, D, Em, A7
This version of We Shall Overcome uses five simple chords:
These are beginner-friendly chords that appear in many folk songs, making this a great practice piece.
Strumming Pattern:
Chord Progression Practice:
Just want to see the chords & lyrics? Scroll down a bit more — BUT I encourage you to do this first – it’ll improve your success rate:
Use downstrokes while counting the beats!
This ensures accurate timing and smooth chord changes – then simply add the strumming pattern, and you’re all set!
d = downstroke
G C G G C G
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
G C D Em A7 D D
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
G C G C D Em
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
G C G D G C G
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d dTo summarize:
- Learn the chords
- Practice them with downstrokes only & count through the song
- Learn the strumming pattern
- Play the song!
Lyrics and Chords
[Verse 1]
G C G
We shall overcome
G C G
We shall overcome
G C D Em A7 D
We shall overcome some day
[Chorus]
G C G
Oh, deep in my heart
C D Em
I do believe
G C G D G C G
We shall overcome some day
[Verse 2]
G C G
We'll walk hand in hand
G C G
We'll walk hand in hand
G C D Em A D
We'll walk hand in hand some day
[Chorus]
G C G
Oh, deep in my heart
C D Em
I do believe
G C G D G C G
We shall overcome some day
[Verse 3]
G C G
We shall all be free
G C G
We shall all be free
G C D Em A D
We shall all be free some day
[Chorus]
G C G
Oh, deep in my heart
C D Em
I do believe
G C G D G C G
We shall overcome some day
[Verse 4]
G C G
We are not afraid
G C G
We are not afraid
G C D Em A D
We are not afraid some day
[Chorus]
G C G
Oh, deep in my heart
C D Em
I do believe
G C G D G C G
We shall overcome some day
[Verse 5]
G C G
We are not alone
G C G
We are not alone
G C D Em A D
We are not alone some day
[Chorus]
G C G
Oh, deep in my heart
C D Em
I do believe
G C G D G C G
We shall overcome some day
Why Learn This Song?
- Uses common beginner-friendly chords
- Slow tempo makes it easy to play and sing
- Great for practicing smooth chord changes
- Perfect for group singalongs
Whether you’re learning for personal enjoyment or to share with others, We Shall Overcome is a powerful song that’s easy to play. Pick up your guitar and let the message of hope shine through!
