IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY (Jim Croce)

Written by Jim Croce in the key of C in 4/4 time
Released on the album: Life And Times (1973)
Released as a single in 1973 (ABC/Philips/Vertigo)
Fingerstyle version for single acoustic guitar
It Doesn't Have To Be That Way on Wikipedia | Lyrics

 Studio Version

thumb: x             Hammer on: h             Bend up: V                   Play or don't: ()
index: a             Pull off: p              Bend down: Λ                 Break: b
dirty: b             Slide up: /              Fret but don't pick: !       Downward stroke: ↑
ring: c              Slide down: \            Staccato: :                  Upward stroke: ↓
pinky: d             Arpeggio: ~~~            Mute: m

To stabilize your picking hand, put your ring on the e-string in the red marked part
Red colored exclamation marks offer additional fretting information
Keep 1a pressed in the green marked part
Chord progression and patterns are pretty much the same as in Lover's Cross

chord image legend: x = fretted and played
                    o = fretted but not played

Picking patterns that fit most Croce songs in 4/4 time:
x - a - bc - a - x - a - bc - a
x - a - bc - x - a - bc - x - a
x - a - b - (x)c - b - a - x - a
x - a - b - x - c - b - x - a


INTRO (The Dsus2/F# chord isn't played in the original song, but fits in quite well)

                                                         Am                   Dsus2/F#
e----------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|  picking pattern:
b---8d-------\---6d-------\---5d-------\---3d--------|---1a------------1a----!3d------------1a---|  xb - a - xb - a - xb - a - xb - a
g--------0------------0------------0------------0----|--------2c-------------------2c------------|  xb - a - x - b (2x)
D----------------------------------------------------|-------------2b-------------------0--------|
A---7b-------\---5b-----------3a-----------2b--------|---0---------------------------------------|
E----------------------------------------------------|------------------------2b-----------------|

    G7sus4                                      G7
e-------------1a--------1a:--1a--------1a---|-----------------1a------------------------|  picking pattern:
b-------------1a--------1a:--1a--------1a---|-------------0---------0-------------------|  x - a - bc - x - abc - abc - x - abc
g--------0--------------0:---0---------0----|--------0--------------------0-------------|  x - a - b - xc - b - a - x - x
D------------------0--------------0---------|-----------------0-------------------------|
A---!---------------------------------------|----------------------------------0---2b---|
E---3c--------------------------------------|---3c--------------------------------------|

1ST VERSE

||:

1... Snowy nights and Christmas lights ...
2... windy winter avenues ...
    C                 G/B                   Am               Am/G
e-----------0-----------------0---------|----------0-----------------0---------|  picking pattern:
b-----------1a----------------3d--------|----------1a----------------1a--------|  x - a - bc - a (4x)
g-------0--------0--------0--------0----|------2b-------2b-------2b-------0----|
D---!-----------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
A---3c----------------2b----------------|---0----------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------|--------------------3c----------------|

1... icy windowpanes ...
2... just don't seem the same ... and the ...
    F                 C/E                   Dm               G7
e-----------1a----------------0---------|----------1a----------------1a--------|  picking pattern:
b-----------1a----------------1a--------|----------3d----------------0---------|  x - a - bc - a (4x)
g-------2b-------2b-------0--------0----|------2b-------2b-------0--------0----|
D---3d----------------2b----------------|---0----------------------------------|
A---!-----------------!-----------------|--------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------|--------------------3c----------------|

1... make me wish that we could be ...
2... Christmas carol(s) sound(s) like blues ... but the ...
    C                 C/B                   Am               Am/G
e-----------0-----------------0---------|----------0-----------------0---------|  picking pattern:
b-----------1a----------------1a--------|----------1a----------------1a--------|  x - a - bc - a (4x)
g-------0--------0--------0--------0----|------2b-------2b-------2b-------2b---|
D---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
A---3c----------------2b----------------|---0----------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------|--------------------3c----------------|

1... together again ... and the ...
    Dsus2/F#                                G       Am7      G/B     G7
e----------------0----------------------|----------------------------1a--------|  picking pattern:
b-----------3d--------3d----------------|---0-------1a-------3d----------------|  x - a - b - xc - b - a - x - a
g-------2b----------------2b-------2b---|-------0-------0--------0--------0----|  xb - a - xb - a - xb - a - xc - a
D------------------------------0--------|----------------------------0---------|
A----------------0----------------------|-----------0--------2b----------------|
E---2a----------------------------------|---3c---------------------------------|

2... choir is not to blame ... But it ...
    F                 G                     C                G7
e-----------1a----------------3d--------|----------0-----------------1a--------|  picking pattern:
b-----------1a----------------0---------|----------1a----------------0---------|  x - a - bc - a (4x)
g-------2b-------2b-------0--------0----|------0--------0--------0--------0----|
D---------------------------------------|---!----------------------------------|
A---------------------------------------|---3d---------------------------------|
E---1a----------------3c----------------|---!----------------3c----------------|
    <- full barré >

:||

CHORUS

... doesn't have to be that way ...
    C       G/B       Am7     G             F                    Em 
e---0-----------------------------------|-----------1a-------------------0---------|  picking pattern:
b---!-------3d--------1a------0---------|-----------1a-------------------0---------|  xc - a - xb - a - xb - a - xb - a
g-------0--------0--------0--------0----|-------2b------2b-----------0--------0----|  x - a - bc - a (2x)
D---------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
A---3c------2b--------0-----------------|------------------------------------------|
E-----------------------------3c--------|---1a-------------------0-----------------|
                                            < full barré >
... what we had should never have ended ...
    F                 C                     F                    G     C/E
e---------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|  picking pattern:
b---1a-----------1a---1a-----------1a---|---1a------0-----1a-----0-----1a----------|  xb - a - x - b (2x)
g--------2b----------------0------------|---2b------2b----2b-----0-----0-----------|  xab - ab - ab - xab - xab 
D---3d----------------2b----------------|---3d-------------------0-----2b----------|
A------------3c----------------3c-------|---!--------------------------!-----------|
E---------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|  info
                                                                 ¼    ⅜
... I'll be dropping by today ...
    C       G/B       Am7     G             F                    Em 
e---0-----------------------------------|-----------1a-------------------0---------|  picking pattern:
b-----------3d--------1a------0---------|-----------1a-------------------0---------|  xc - a - xb - a - xb - a - xb - a
g-------0--------0--------0--------0----|-------2b------2b-----------0--------0----|  x - a - bc - a (2x)
D---------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
A---3c------2b--------0-----------------|------------------------------------------|
E-----------------------------3c--------|---1a-------------------0-----------------|
                                            < full barré >
... we could easily get it together to- ...
    F                 C                     F            C
e---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|  picking pattern:
b---1a-----------1a---1a-----------1a---|-----------1a-----------1a------------|  xb - a - x - b (2x)
g--------2b----------------0------------|-------2b------------0-----------0----|  x - a - b 
D---3d----------------2b----------------|---3d-----------------------2b--------|  x - a - b - x - a
A------------3c----------------3c-------|---!------------3c--------------------|
E---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|

... night ... it's only ...
    Dm7                                     G7sus4
e----------------1a---------------------|---------------1a---------------------|  picking pattern:
b-----------1a--------1a----------------|-----------1a-------1a----------------|  x - a - b - xc - b - a - x - a (2x)
g-------2b----------------2b-------2b---|-------0----------------0--------0----|
D---0--------------------------0--------|---------------0----------------------|
A----------------0----------------------|---!----------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------|---3c-----------------------3c--------|

BRIDGE

... right ...
    C                                       G7
e-----------0-------------0-------------|---------------1a-------------------|  picking pattern:
b-----------1a------------1a------------|-----------0-------0----------------|  x - a - bc - x - a - bc - x - a
g-------0-------------0------------0----|-------0---------------0------------|  x - a - b - xc - b - a - x - x
D----------------2b---------------------|---------------0--------------------|
A---3d------------------------3d--------|---------------------------0---2b---|
E---!-----------------------------------|---3c-------------------------------|

2ND VERSE (same tab as 1st verse)

... Crowded stores, the corner Santa Claus ...
... tinseled afternoons ... and the ...
... sidewalk bands play their songs ...
... slightly out of tune ...
... down the windy winter avenues ...
... there walks a lonely man ... and ...
... if I told you who he is ... well I ...
... think you'd understand ... But it ...

CHORUS (same tab) 

... doesn't have to be that way ...
... what we had should never have ended ...
... I'll be dropping by today ...
... we could easily get it together to- ...
... night ... it's only ...

OUTRO

... right ...
    C                                       Dm
e----------------0----------------------|----------------1a---------------------|  picking pattern:
b-----------1a--------1a----------------|-----------3d--------3d----------------|  x - a - b - xc - b - a - x - a (2x)
g-------0-----------------0--------0----|-------2b----------------2b-------2b---|
D----------------2b---------------------|---0--------------------------0--------|
A---3d------------------------3c--------|----------------0----------------------|
E---!-----------------------------------|---------------------------------------|

    Em                                      F                 G7
e----------------0----------------------|-----------1a----------------1a--------|  picking pattern:
b-----------0---------0-----------------|-----------1a----------------3d--------|  x - a - b - xc - b - a - x - a
g-------0-----------------0--------0----|-------2b-------2b-------0--------0----|  x - a - bc - a (2x)
D----------------2c---------------------|---------------------------------------|
A---!-----------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
E---0-------------------------0---------|---1a----------------3c----------------|
                                            <  full barré >

Finish the song with a strummed C/G chord [3c3d2b01a0]