View chords used in this chart
Em D C D C
-------------------
-8---7---5---7-5---
-9---7---5---7-5---
-9---7---5---7-5---
-------------------
-------------------
 
Lead guitar:
-----------
 
|---|---------------------------------------|
|---|-8---10-8-7-7(8)-7-------7~~~7(9)------|
|---|---------------------9--------------10-|
|---|---------------------------------------|
|---|---------------------------------------|
|---|---------------------------------------|
 
Em D C D
He sticks to his guns, he takes the road as it comes
C
He takes the shine off his shoes
 
Em D C D
He says it's a shame, you know it may be a game
C
Ah but I won't play to lose -----------8-7-------------------
---------------10-8--------------
-9---7/9-------------------7-9-7-
------------------------10-------
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
 
He's burning the grass, he takes up a glass
 
He swallows it neat ---------------------------------
---------------------------------
-9(10)~~~9---7(9)7-7(9)7-7(9)~~~-
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
 
He crosses the floor, he opens the door
 
He takes a sniff at the street
 
CHORUS
 
C D C D C D C D D G D
---------------------------------------------10---
-5-7---5-7---8-8-7---------5-7---5-7---7-8---10---
-5-7---5-7---------9-7-9---5-7---5-7---7-7---11---
-5-7---5-7-----------------5-7---5-7---7-9---12---
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
 
But he climbs on his horse, you know he feels no remorse
 
He just kicks it alive ------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
--------------------7(9)------7------7(9)-
------10---7^10^7----------10---10-7------
-7/10-------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
 
His motor is fine, He takes it over the line
 
Until he's ready to dive ----------------------
----------------6-5---
-------5---7-5------5-
---5-7---7-----7------
-7--------------------
----------------------
SOLO :
 
------------------------------------------15-12----------
--------12-15-12-15(17)---12-15-12-15(17)-------13(15)---
-14(16)--------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------
 
-----------------------------------------12-12-12-12-12-12---17-17-15-
----12-13-15-12^13^12----12-------------------------------------------
-14-------------------14----14-12-------------------------------------
----------------------------------14----------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-12^15^12--------------17-19-17--------------------------------------------
------------15-------17---------20---17^20^17---10^20^17------17-20-20(22)-
-------------------17--------------------------------------19--------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
C D C D C D C D D G D
-----------------------------------------------8---------------------------------
-20(22)-20-17-20-17------17---19(20)-19--------------10(12)~~~-------------------
----------------------19---------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
He sticks to his guns, he takes the road as it comes
-15--------------17------------15---14---------------
-----------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------
 
He takes the shine off his shoes
------------------------------------------------------------
-13------------------------------------------------------12-
------------------------------------------12-14-12-14-12----
----------------------------------7/10/12-------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
 
He says it's a shame you know it may be a game
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------14-12-11-----------------------------11(12)~~~-
------------------------------14------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Ah but I won't play it to lose
------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------12-------------
--------------------------------12(14)----14-14-14-14-
------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
 
He sticks to his guns, he takes the road as it comes
--------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------12-
-12--------------14-------------------------------------
------------------------------------14------------------
--------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------
 
He takes the shine off his shoes
-------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------14-12(14)---14-14-14-14-12----
----------------------------------15----------------------------15-
-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
--------------------------------------------------
-----------------15-13----------------------------
----12-----------------14---12-14-12-14-12-14(16)-
-14----14-12---14---------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
 
He's too fast to stop, he takes it over the top
----------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------
-14(16)-14-12-14-12---11----------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------
 
He makes a line in the news...
 
--------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------
--------5/7-------------------5/7-----------
--------5/7-------------------5/7-----------
--------------------------------------------
 
G Bm C Bm Am C for the verse
 
and C- D C- D Em9 (x2) for the chorus...
 
----------------- Acordes -----------------
C = X 3 2 0 1 0
D = X X 0 2 3 2
Em = 0 2 2 0 0 0
G = 3 2 0 0 0 3

How to play News

Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.

What is the starting chord?

The first identified chord is Em. You can transpose without leaving the page.

Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?

Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.

More chords by Dire Straits

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