Trad. (this version attributed to Rev. Gary Davis)
Played by Bob Dylan on the so-called Minnesota Party Tape II (May 1961) and Minnesota Hotel Tape (Dec 1961)
Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem

Minnesota Party Tape II (May 1961)

Capo 2nd fret (sounding key D major)

The guitar accompaniment has a fairly steady oompa-bass, as exemplified in the tab snipped below.
The F is frequently played with the little flourish in the second measure below (indicated with an asterisk in the chord section).
There are instrumental verses before, between, and after, which are more or less identical to the tabbed version.

  C                 F                 C
  :   .   .   .     :   .   .   .     :   .
|-----0-------0---|-1---------------|-----0---
|-----1-------1---|-1---1-1-1-1-----|-----1---
|-----0-------0---|-2---2-2-3-2---0-|-----0---  etc
|-----2-------2---|-3---------------|-----2---
|-3---------------|-----------------|-3-------
|---------3-------|-----------------|---------

           C    F *)  C
Well, it's hard to be blind
           C             Em         Am     G (G7)
Lord, it's hard and it's hard to be blind
C                    F
 If I could see, how happy I would be
C      F           C
Nobody cares about me.
C      F     *)    C
Nobody cares about me.

        C         F          C
Lord, I cried the day I went blind
         C            Em          Am    G
I said, "Lord, what's happened to me?"
C                         F
(Eeeeh) Lost my friends I lost my sight
C      F           C
Nobody cares about me.
    C      F           C
Nobody cares about me.

Lord, it's hard, it's hard to be blind
Lord, it's hard, it's hard to be blind
If I could see, how happy I would be
Nobody cares about me.

Lord, it's hard to be blind
[harmonica line]
If I could see, how happy I would be
C      F
Nobody
C
[harmonica]
C      F           C
Nobody cares about me.

C . F . C Csus2 C

Minnesota Hotel Tape (22 Dec, 1961)

This version is much more straightforward in the playing.
Capo 1st fret (sounding key Db major)

“I wrote my own new song to it, it’s called “It’s hard it’s hard to be poor. But I’ll sing it [Gary’s way]”

        C         F          C
Lord, I cried the day I went blind
         C            Em          Am    G
I said, "Lord, what's happened to me?"
C                       F
 Lost my friends when I lost my sight
C      F           C     (F)
Nobody cares about me.
    C      F       G      C
And nobody cares about me.

Lord, it's hard and it's hard to be blind
And it's hard and it's hard to be blind
If I could see, how happy I would be
Nobody cares about me.
Nobody cares about me.

There was a time when I went blind
Lord what's happened to me?
I lost my friends and I lost my sight
C      F
Nobody
C      F
Nobody
C             F    G     C
Nobody cares about me.

It's hard and hardest to be blind
Lord, it's hard, it's hard to be blind
If I could see, how happy I would be
Nobody cares about me.
C      F           G
Nobody cares about me.
F      G             C
Nobody cares about me.