Song chords
Firm Foundation (He Won't) chords
Cody Carnes
A congregational anthem with a stubbornly simple chart — four open chords, no capo, and a pre-chorus that drops to three. The interest lives in the rhythm, not the harmony.
Before you start
The chords you need.
4 shapes covers the whole song. Tap any diagram’s play button to hear it, or open its page for every voicing on six instruments.
The chart
Section by section.
Key of G, no capo. The pre-chorus strips out the Em, which is what makes the full chorus feel like it opens up when the vi returns. Hit play on any section to hear it walk through at 74 bpm.
Verse
4 barsPre-Chorus
3 barsThree chords — the vi drops out and the section leans forward.
Chorus
4 barsBridge
4 barsNeed it in a different key, or without the capo? Run it through the transposer — move every chord by the same interval and the song is unchanged.
Playing it
What actually trips people up.
Keep the G going with a ringing high E string rather than muting it — that open drone is most of the song's character.
The chart above is the commonly played arrangement — the version a competent player would hand you, not a bar-for-bar transcription of a specific master. Section labels are there to orient you; live and studio versions repeat, extend and drop sections freely, and none of that changes which chords you need.
About this page
Chord names and song structure are facts; for lyrics and official notation, support the artist. This page carries no lyrics on purpose — Firm Foundation (He Won't) was written and recorded by Cody Carnes, and the words belong to them. What you get here is the harmony: the key, the capo, the tempo, and which chord goes where.
Next
Songs that sit near this one.
FAQ
Questions people actually ask.
What key is Firm Foundation (He Won't) in?
Firm Foundation (He Won't) is in G Major, and it is played in that key with no capo — the chords you read here are the chords you hear.
Do I need a capo for Firm Foundation (He Won't)?
No. Firm Foundation (He Won't) is played open in G Major. A capo will only move it out of the recorded key, which matters if you are playing along with the record.
What chords are in Firm Foundation (He Won't)?
G, D, Em and C — 4 chords across 4 sections. Key of G, no capo. The pre-chorus strips out the Em, which is what makes the full chorus feel like it opens up when the vi returns.
What is the easiest way to play Firm Foundation (He Won't)?
Beginner overall. Keep the G going with a ringing high E string rather than muting it — that open drone is most of the song's character.
How fast is Firm Foundation (He Won't)?
About 74 bpm. Every section on this page plays back at that tempo, so you can hear how long each chord is meant to be held before you try it yourself.
Can I play Firm Foundation (He Won't) in a different key?
Yes — the progression is the song, not the letters. Move every chord by the same number of semitones and it still works. The transposer will do the arithmetic, or you can move the capo and keep these shapes.