He Was My Brother
View chords used in this chart
Capo 2
D C D Bm
He-e-e-e was my brother
G A
Five years older than I
D C D Bm
He-e-e-e was my brother
G A D C D
Twenty-three years old the day he died
D C D Bm
Fre-e-e-edom rider
G A
They cursed my brother to his face
D C D Bm
Go home outsider
G A D C D
Mississippi's gonna be your buryin' place
D C D Bm
He-e-e-e was singin' on his knees
G A
An angry mob trailed along
D C D Bm
They shot my brother dead
G A Bm D C D
Because he hated what was wrong
D C D Bm
He-e-e-e was my brother
G A
Tears can't bring him back to me
D C D
He - He was my brother
G A D
And he died so his brothers could be free
Bm G A D C D
Oh, God, he died so his brothers could be free
How to play He Was My Brother
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is D. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.