ChordPocket

Battle Hymn of the Republic chords

Julia Ward Howe (words, 1861)

Howe wrote the words to the tune of "John Brown's Body" during the Civil War. The "Glory, glory, hallelujah" chorus is unmistakable.

Chords
5
Level
Easy
Time
4/4

Chords

G213
C×321
A7×12
D7××213
Em12

Chart

Verse

  1. G
  2. /
  3. /
  4. /
  5. C
  6. /
  7. G
  8. /
  9. G
  10. /
  11. /
  12. /
  13. A7
  14. D7
  15. G
  16. /

Chorus

  1. G
  2. /
  3. C
  4. /
  5. G
  6. /
  7. /
  8. /
  9. G
  10. /
  11. Em
  12. /
  13. A7
  14. D7
  15. G
  16. /

How to play it

You need 5 chords: G, C, A7, D7 and Em. The change you'll make most is C to G, so practice switching between those two slowly before playing along.

Each box is one bar of 4/4 time. Strum the chord on the beat, and change when the next box starts. A slash means keep playing the same chord.

Questions

What chords are in Battle Hymn of the Republic?

This arrangement uses G, C, A7, D7 and Em.

Is Battle Hymn of the Republic easy to play on guitar?

Fairly. None of the 5 chords needs a full barre, though there are a few more shapes to learn.