ChordPocket

The Old Rugged Cross chords

George Bennard, 1912

Bennard, a Methodist evangelist, wrote both words and music. It became one of the best-loved gospel hymns of the 20th century.

Chords
5
Level
Easy
Time
3/4

Chords

G213
G7321
C×321
A7×12
D7××213

Chart

Verse

  1. G
  2. /
  3. G7
  4. C
  5. C
  6. /
  7. G
  8. /
  9. G
  10. /
  11. A7
  12. /
  13. D7
  14. /
  15. /
  16. /

Chorus

  1. G
  2. /
  3. C
  4. G
  5. G
  6. /
  7. D7
  8. /
  9. G
  10. G7
  11. C
  12. G
  13. G
  14. D7
  15. G
  16. /

How to play it

You need 5 chords: G, G7, C, A7 and D7. 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 3/4 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 The Old Rugged Cross?

This arrangement uses G, G7, C, A7 and D7.

Is The Old Rugged Cross easy to play on guitar?

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