8-Bar Blues (Worried Life Form)

The 8-bar blues, Worried Life form is the chord progression I / I / IV / IV / I / V / I IV / I V. In the key of C major it is C / C / F / F / C / G / C F / C G, and in the Nashville Number System it is written 1 / 1 / 4 / 4 / 1 / 5 / 1 4 / 1 5.

Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E

Why it works

Instead of the early V of Key to the Highway, this form holds I for two bars and IV for two before a fast I, V close. Wikipedia calls it probably the most common 8-bar blues. The first half breathes like a 12-bar and the second half turns around quickly, often with I and IV shared in bars 7 and 8.

Songs that use it

These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.

8-Bar Blues (Worried Life Form): Chords and Audio in C, G, D, A and E

Press play to hear each key. The diagrams show the shapes used in the audio, and every chord links to its full page.

Key of C major

C

C

F

F

C

G

C   F

C   G

C

F

G

Key of G major

G

G

C

C

G

D

G   C

G   D

G

C

D

Key of D major

D

D

G

G

D

A

D   G

D   A

D

G

A

Key of A major

A

A

D

D

A

E

A   D

A   E

A

D

E

Key of E major

E

E

A

A

E

B

E   A

E   B

E

A

B

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