Song:      A Hard Road
Artist:    Black Sabbath
Album:     Never Say Die! (1978)
Guitarist: Tony Iommi
Transcribed by: Phil T.
http://www.youtube.com/ThePhilth

    Standard Slack Tuning: i.e., Tune down 1 1/2 steps:
    Low to High: C# - F# - B - E - G# - c#
    [For the sake of simplicity, the chords are written in standard A-440 tuning.]

Moderate Rock BPM=124 (approx.)

4/4
[Intro] Guitar Only

   N.C.
c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|--------------------|--------------------|
E |7-7--7-7--7-7--7-7--|7-7--7-7--7-7--7-7--|
B |0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0--|0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0--|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|
   w/slight palm mute

****************************************************
Rhy. Fig. 1 (Main Riff)

   N.C.
c#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G#|---------------5---------|--------5---------------5|
 E|7--7--5h7p5----5-h7--7--7|5h7p5---5-h7--7--7------5|
 B|0--0--0-----7--0--0--0--0|0----7--0--0--0--0--0h7--|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|

                                    End Rhy. Fig. 1
c#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G#|---------------5---------|--------5---------------5| 2x
E |7--7--5h7p5----5-h7--7--7|5h7p5---5-h7--7--7------5|
B |0--0--0-----7--0--0--0--0|0----7--0--0--0--0--0h7--|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|
********************************************************
[Verse I]

   N.C.
c#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G#|---------------5---------|--------5---------------5| 8x
E |7--7--5h7p5----5-h7--7--7|5h7p5---5-h7--7--7------5|
B |0--0--0-----7--0--0--0--0|0----7--0--0--0--0--0h7--|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|

V1 Old   men       crying, young   men    dying.
   World  still  turns  as  Father Time  looks   on
                                             On and...
   ...on.

V1 Children       playing, dreamers      praying
   Laughter       turns to  tears; love has gone
  Has it...
   ...gone?

********************************************************
[Chorus I]

         D
c#|------5-5-5(5)-----------|------5-5-5(5)-----------|
G#|------7-7-7(7)-----------|------7-7-7(7)-----------|
E |------7-7-7(7)--7--7-7-7-|------7-7-7(7)-----------|
B |0--0--0-0-0-----0--0-0-0-|0--0--0-0-0-----0--0-0-0-|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|           PM------------|           PM------|

 C1 Oh__________________________________   it’s   a...
 C1 Oh__________________________________   it’s   a...


         D9sus            G              C(add9)
c#|------3-3-3(3)-----------|-------------------------|
G#|------5-5-5(5)---------12|---12-------5------------|
E |------5-5-5(5)---------12|---12-------5------------|
B |0--0--0-0-0--------0---0-|---0----0---0------------|
F#|-----------------------10|------------3------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|             PM-|           PM-|

  C1 ...hard road.                                 
  C1 ...ha________________rd roa____________________d.

********************************************************

   N.C.
c#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G#|---------------5---------|--------5---------------5|
E |7--7--5h7p5----5-h7--7--7|5h7p5---5-h7--7--7------5|
B |0--0--0-----7--0--0--0--0|0----7--0--0--0--0--0h7--|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|

c#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G#|---------------5---------|--------5---------------5|
E |7--7--5h7p5----5-h7--7--7|5h7p5---5-h7--7--7------5|
B |0--0--0-----7--0--0--0--0|0----7--0--0--0--0--0h7--|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|

********************************************************
[Verse II]

   N.C.
c#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G#|---------------5---------|--------5---------------5| 8x
E |7--7--5h7p5----5-h7--7--7|5h7p5---5-h7--7--7------5|
B |0--0--0-----7--0--0--0--0|0----7--0--0--0--0--0h7--|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|

V2 Poets            yearning,  lovers     learning.
   On this         path of,   life we  pass along.
                                              Is it...
   ...wrong?

V2 Widows            weeping   babies     sleeping.
   Life    becomes    the   singer   and the song.

                                              Sing a...
   ...-long

********************************************************
[Chorus II]

         D
c#|------5-5-5(5)-----------|------5-5-5(5)-----------|
G#|------7-7-7(7)-----------|------7-7-7(7)-----------|
E |------7-7-7(7)-----------|------7-7-7(7)-----------|
B |0--0--0-0-0-----0--0-0-0-|0--0--0-0-0-----0--0-0-0-|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|           PM------------|           PM------|

 C2 Oh__________________________________   it’s   a...
 C2 Ca_____________________________________ry  your...


         D9sus            G              C(add9)
c#|------3-3-3(3)-----------|-------------------------|
G#|------5-5-5(5)---------12|---12-------5------------|
E |------5-5-5(5)---------12|---12-------5------------|
B |0--0--0-0-0--------0---0-|---0----0---0------------|
F#|-----------------------10|------------3------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|             PM-|           PM-|

  C2 ...hard road.                                 
  C2 ...own_________________ loa____________________d.

*******************************************************
[Bridge]

c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|--------------------|--------------------|
E |7-7--7-7--7-7--7-7--|7-7--7-7--7-7-------|
B |0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0--|0-0--0-0--0-0--7~7~~|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|
   w/slight palm mute

c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|--------------------|--------------------|
E |--------------------|--------------------|
B |7/9---7~~~~~~~~~7~7~|7/9---7~~~~7/9~~~/12|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|

        D7sus2    D
c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|-----5~5~~-----7~7~~|-----7~7~~----------|
E |7----5~5~~-----7~7~~|-----7~7~~----------|
B |0-0--0-0----0--0-0--|0-0--0-0--------7~7~|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|
    PM-|      PM-|

        Why make the   hard road?

c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|--------------------|--------------------|
E |--------------------|--------------------|
B |7/9---7~~~~~~~~~7~7~|7/9---7~~~7\5~~~/7--|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|

   D5   D7sus2    D
c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|-----5~5~~-----7~7~~|-----7~7~~----------|
E |2----5~5~~-----7~7~~|-----7~7~~----------|
B |0-0--0-0----0--0-0--|0-0--0-0----0---7~7~|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|
    PM-|      PM-|

        Why can't  we   be  friends?

c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|--------------------|--------------------|
E |--------------------|--------------------|
B |7/9---7~~~~~~~~~7~7~|7/9---7~~~~7/9~~~/12|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|

        D7sus2    D
c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|-----5~5~~-----7~7~~|-----7~7~~----------|
E |7----5~5~~-----7~7~~|-----7~7~~----------|
B |0-0--0-0----0--0-0--|0-0--0-0--------7~7~|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|
    PM-|      PM-|

        No  need to    hur__ry...

c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|--------------------|--------------------|
E |--------------------|--------------------|
B |7/9---7~~~~~~~~~7~7~|7/9---7~~~7\5~~~/7--|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|

   D5   D7sus2    D
c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|-----5~5~~-----7~7~~|-----7~7~~----------|
E |2----5~5~~-----7~7~~|-----7~7~~----------|
B |0-0--0-0----0--0-0--|0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0--|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|
    PM-|      PM-|

        We'll meet in the end.

*******************************************************
[Interlude] w/Rhy. Fig. 1 (Main Riff)

c#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G#|5-6-5--------------------|-------------------------|
E |------7~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|(7)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
B |-------------------------|-------------------------|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|


c#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G#|8-6-5--------------------|-------------------------|
E |------5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|(5)----------------------|
B |-------------------------|-------------------------|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|


c#|------------------10--10-|10------10---10----------|
G#|5-6-5-------------13b-13b|13br----13b--13b---------|
E |------7~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|(7)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
B |-------------------------|-------------------------|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|


c#|-----------------12---12-|-----10---10-------------|
G#|8-6-5------------15b--15b|-----15b--15br-----------|
E |------5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|(5)----------------------|
B |-------------------------|-------------------------|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|

*******************************************************
[Guitar Solo] w/Rhy. Fig. 2

   D
c#|-12----12----12----12----|(12)---------------------|
G#|-15b---15b---15b---15b~~~|(15b)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
E |-------------------------|-------------------------|
B |-------------------------|-------------------------|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------5\3--3|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|

   D9sus                     G            C(add9)
c#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
E |-------------------------|--7~~~~-------7~~~~~-----|
B |------------------------7|h9---------7h9----------7|
F#|3h5----5~~~~~~~~~~~~/10--|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
                       (n)
   D
c#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G#|-------------------------|----7--9--10-------------|
E |--7--9b--9---7~~~~--9p7-9|b--------------7~~-9p7-9b|
B |h9-----------------------|-------------------------|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|

   D9sus                     G            C(add9)
c#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
E |9--7--9-----7------9-x-9b|9---7---7-----7--------7/|
B |---------9---------------|-------------------------|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|

   D
c#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G#|---10-12/15~~~~~\--------|---10-12/15~~~~~\--------|
E |11---------------------7/|11--------------------9pb|
B |-------------------------|-------------------------|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|

   D9sus                           G              C(add9)
c#|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
G#|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
E |*9b---7--7~~~~~---------------9|-9b--7--7~~~~~~/\-------------9|
B |-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
F#|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
C#|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
   *Slow bend

   D
c#|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
G#|-----10---------------10-------|----10-------------10----------|
E |10/11--10\9----9-10/11--10\9--9|10/11-10\9---9-10/11-10\9--9/10|
B |-----------12---------------12-|----------12-------------12----|
F#|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
C#|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|


   D9sus                            G                  C(add9)
c#|--------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G#|--10-10-10-10-10----------------|---------------------------------|
E |12b-------------10--12-10h11--12|10h11--10------------------------|
B |------------------12--------12--|-----12--12-10-------------------|
F#|--------------------------------|--------------12-11-10----10-----|
C#|--------------------------------|-----------------------13---13-12|


**********************************************************************
[Bridge Reprise]

c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|--------------------|--------------------|
E |7-7--7-7--7-7--7-7--|7-7--7-7--7-7-------|
B |0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0--|0-0--0-0--0-0--7~7~~|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-|--------------------|
   w/slight palm mute


c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|--------------------|--------------------|
E |--------------------|--------------------|
B |7/9---7~~~~~~~~~7~7~|7/9---7~~~~7/9~~~/12|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|

        D7sus2    D
c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|-----5~5~~-----7~7~~|-----7~7~~----------|
E |7----5~5~~-----7~7~~|-----7~7~~----------|
B |0-0--0-0----0--0-0--|0-0--0-0--------7~7~|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|

       Why make the   hard road?

c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|--------------------|--------------------|
E |--------------------|--------------------|
B |7/9---7~~~~~~~~~7~7~|7/9---7~~~7\5~~~/7--|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|


   D5   D7sus2    D
c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|-----5~5~~-----7~7~~|-----7~7~~----------|
E |2----5~5~~-----7~7~~|-----7~7~~----------|
B |0-0--0-0----0--0-0--|0-0--0-0----0---7~7~|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|

        Why can't  we   be  friends?

c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|--------------------|--------------------|
E |--------------------|--------------------|
B |7/9---7~~~~~~~~~7~7~|7/9---7~~~~7/9~~~/12|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|

        D7sus2    D
c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|-----5~5~~-----7~7~~|-----7~7~~----------|
E |7----5~5~~-----7~7~~|-----7~7~~----------|
B |0-0--0-0----0--0-0--|0-0--0-0--------7~7~|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|

        No  need to    wor__ry...

c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|--------------------|--------------------|
E |--------------------|--------------------|
B |7/9---7~~~~~~~~~7~7~|7/9---7~~~7\5~~~/7--|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|


   D5   D7sus2    D
c#|--------------------|--------------------|
G#|-----5~5~~-----7~7~~|-----7~7~~----------|
E |2----5~5~~-----7~7~~|-----7~7~~----------|
B |0-0--0-0----0--0-0--|0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0--|
F#|--------------------|--------------------|
C#|--------------------|--------------------|
        Let's sing it again.

*******************************************************
   N.C.
c#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G#|---------------5---------|--------5---------------5|
E |7--7--5h7p5----5-h7--7--7|5h7p5---5-h7--7--7------5|
B |0--0--0-----7--0--0--0--0|0----7--0--0--0--0--0h7--|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|

                                    End Rhy. Fig. 1
c#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G#|---------------5---------|--------5---------------5|
E |7--7--5h7p5----5-h7--7--7|5h7p5---5-h7--7--7------5|
B |0--0--0-----7--0--0--0--0|0----7--0--0--0--0--0h7--|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|

*******************************************************
[Verse III]

   N.C.
c#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G#|---------------5---------|--------5----------------| 8x
E |------5h7p5----5-h7--7--7|5h7p5---5-h7--7--7------5|
B |0--0--0-----7--0--0--0--0|0----7--0--0--0--0--0h7--|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|

V3 Brother’s         sharing,   mother’s      caring.
   Nighttime       falling, victim  to  the  dawn.
                                             Shadows...
   ... mourn.

V3 Days are          falling,   time is       calling,
   To the Earth    another      life is       born.

                                           Love light...
   ... drawn.

********************************************************
[Chorus III]

         D
c#|------5-5-5(5)-----------|------5-5-5(5)-----------|
G#|------7-7-7(7)-----------|------7-7-7(7)-----------|
E |------7-7-7(7)-----------|------7-7-7(7)-----------|
B |0--0--0-0-0-----0--0-0-0-|0--0--0-0-0-----0--0-0-0-|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|           PM------------|           PM------|

 C2 Oh__________________________________   it’s   a...
 C1 Ca_____________________________________ry  your...


         D9sus            G              C(add9)
c#|------3-3-3(3)-----------|-------------------------|
G#|------5-5-5(5)---------12|---12-------5------------|
E |------5-5-5(5)---------12|---12-------5------------|
B |0--0--0-0-0--------0---0-|---0----0---0------------|
F#|-----------------------10|------------3------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|             PM-|           PM-|

  C2 ...hard road.                                 
  C2 ...ow_________________n lo_____________________ad.

**********************************************************
[Coda]
         D
c#|------5-5-5(5)-----------|------5-5-5(5)-----------|
G#|------7-7-7(7)-----------|------7-7-7(7)-----------|
E |------7-7-7(7)-----------|------7-7-7(7)-----------|
B |0--0--0-0-0-----0--0-0-0-|0--0--0-0-0-----0--0-0-0-|
F#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|           PM------------|           PM------|

   Oh__________________________________     it’s   a...


         D9sus            G              C(add9)
c#|------3-3-3(3)-----------|-------------------------|
G#|------5-5-5(5)---------12|---12-------5------------|
E |------5-5-5(5)---------12|---12-------5------------|
B |0--0--0-0-0--------0---0-|---0----0---0------------|
F#|-----------------------10|------------3------------|
C#|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   PM--|             PM-|           PM-|

   ...hard road. (Repeat and fade)

See below for complete lyrics.
************************************************************************
[Chord Chart]

     D                D9sus                G               C(add9)
    O                  O                  O                  O
===========        ===========        ===========        ===========
| | | | | O 5fr    | | | | | O 3fr    | O | | | | 10fr   | O | | | | 3fr    
+-+-+-+-+-+        +-+-+-+-+-+        +-+-+-+-+-+        +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | |        | | | | | |        | | | | | |        | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+        +-+-+-+-+-+        +-+-+-+-+-+        +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | O O |        | | | O O |        | | | O O |        | | | O O |
+-+-+-+-+-+        +-+-+-+-+-+        +-+-+-+-+-+        +-+-+-+-+-+
x x 0 3 4 1        x x 0 3 4 1        x 1 0 3 4 X        x 1 0 3 4 X

             D5               D7sus2               D
            O                  O                  O
        ===========        ===========        =========== 
        | | | | | |        | | | O O | 5fr    | | | O O | 7fr 
        +-+-+-+-+-+        +-+-+-+-+-+        +-+-+-+-+-+
        | | | O | |        | | | | | |        | | | | | |
        +-+-+-+-+-+        +-+-+-+-+-+        +-+-+-+-+-+
        | | | | | |        | | | | | |        | | | | | |
        +-+-+-+-+-+        +-+-+-+-+-+        +-+-+-+-+-+
        x x 0 2 x x        x x 0 1 1 x        x x 0 3 4 x
*************************************************************************
Legend

     Symbol -  Technique
         nc -  no chord
         pm -  palm mute
          b -  Bend
         br -  Bend-Release
          h -  hammer on
          p -  pull off
          / -  slide up
          \ -  slide down
          ~ -  vibrato
        (n) -  ghost note
        (5) -  notes in round brackets are held/sustained and not plucked.
*************************************************************************
Lyrics

[Verse I]
Old men crying, young men dying.
World still turns as Father Time looks on,
On and on.

Children playing, dreamers praying
Laughter turns to tears; love has gone
Has it gone?

[Chorus]
Oh, it’s a hard road.
Oh, it’s a hard road.

[Verse II]
Poets yearning, lovers learning,
On this path of life we pass along.
Is it wrong?

Widows weeping, babies sleeping.
Life becomes the singer and the song.
Sing along.

[Chorus]
Oh, it’s a hard road
Carry your own load

[Bridge I]
Why make the hard road?
Why can’t we be friends?
No need to hurry.
We’ll meet in the end.

[Interlude]
[Guitar Solo]

[Bridge II]
Why make the hard road?
Why can’t we be friends?
No need to worry.
Let's sing it again.

[Verse III]
Brother’s sharing, mother’s caring.
Nighttime falling victim to the dawn.
Shadows mourn.

Days are crawling, time is calling,
To the Earth another life is born.
Love line drawn.

[Coda/Outro Chorus]

Oh, it’s a hard road.
Carry your own load.

(Backing Vocals)
Oh, it’s a hard road.
Oh, it’s a hard road.

(Countermelody by Ozzy)
Forget all this sorrow. Don’t live in the past,
And look to the future 'cause life goes too fast, you know!