Help Me Understand chords - Hank Williams

How to Play "Help Me Understand" Guitar chords

[Intro]
| D | D | A7 | D |
 
[Verse 1]
D                             G            D
  A little girl prayed at the close of the day
                              A7
Cause her daddy had gone far away
   D                     G          D
On her little face was a look of despair
                                A7           D
I stood there and listened, and I heard this prayer
 
[Verse 2]
   G                   D
My mama says daddy has brought us to shame
        G                D           A7
And I'm never no more to mention his name
     D                       G          D
Lord take me and lead me and hold to my hand
                        A7      D
Oh heavenly Father help me understand
 
[Bridge]
 

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(Spoken)
                                         G
You know friends I wonder how many homes are broken tonight
   D
'n Just how many tears are shed, by some little word of anger
                                 A7
That never should have been said
                                          D
I'd like to tell you a story, of a family I once knew
                     G                                     D
We'll call them Mary and William and their little daughter Sue
                                                      A7
Now Mary was just a plain mother and Bill was just a usual dad
D                                 D7                       G
 And they had their little family quarrels, like everybody else
G
But neither one really got mad
D                                       G
Then one day something happened, it was nothing of course
                       D                      A7
But one word led to another and the last word led to a divorce
D
 Now here were two grown up people, who failed to use common sense
G                  D                                          G
 They strengthened their own selfish pride, at little Sue's expense
D                    A7
 You know she didn't ask to be brought to this world
D
To drift from pillar to post
        G                                               D
But a divorce never stops to consider the ones it hurts the most
                 G
There's be a lot more honest loving, in this wicked ole world today
D                    A7
If just a few parted parents, could hear little Sue say:
 
[Outro]
D                       G          D
Take me and lead me and hold to my hand
                         A7          D
Oh heavenly Father, help me understa-and






How to play "Help Me Understand" on guitar

[Intro]
- Begin with a D chord. Position your index finger on the 2nd fret of the
G string, middle finger on the 2nd fret of the high E string, and ring finger
on the 3rd fret of the B string. Strum from the D string downward.
- Change to the A7 chord. Place your index and middle fingers on the 2nd
frets of the D and B strings, respectively. Strum from the A string downward.

[Verse 1]:
- Begin with D chord. Strum steadily while concentrating on even downstrokes.
- To go to the G chord, place your middle finger on the third fret of the low E
string, index finger on the second fret of the A string, and ring finger on the
third fret of the high E string. Strum all strings save the low E.
- Return to the D chord, ensuring a smooth transition.
- Strumming steadily on the A7 chord.

[Verse 2].
- Begin by strumming the G chord steadily.
- Switch to the D chord, providing smooth transitions.
- Change to the A7 chord and strumming from the A string downward.
- To complete the stanza, return to the D chord.

[Bridge]
- Use the same chord progression as the verses. 
- For the spoken segment, use a soft strumming pattern and pay
attention to the cadence of the phrases.

[Outro]
- Begin by gradually strumming the D chord.
- Switch to the G chord and strumming gently.
- Return to the D chord, making sure the transitions are apparent.
- End with the A7 chord, followed by the D chord.

[General Tips]
- Tune your guitar in normal tune (EADGBE).
- Start gently with each chord change and progressively speed up
to match the song's tempo.
- A light to medium pick will provide a clean and consistent sound.

[Common Mistakes]
- Not pushing the strings tightly enough, resulting in buzzing.
- Inconsistent strumming patterns create an uneven rhythm.
- Rushing through chord changes instead of concentrating on accuracy.

[Facts About the Song]
Hank Williams' "Help Me Understand" is a touching ballad about family
and separation. The lyrics depict a child praying for wisdom in the face
of her parents' hardships. Hank Williams, a prominent figure in country
music, is recognized for his intensely emotional lyrics and enduring
melodies. His songs have had a significant impact on the genre
and remain popular among fans.