Scarlet Begonias
View chords used in this chart
E B A
As I was walkin' down Grosvenor Square,
E B
Not a chill to the winter but a nip to the air,
A E B A E
From the other direction she was calling my eye,
A E B A E B A
Could be an illusion but I might as well try, might as well try.
She had rings on her fingers and bells on her shoes,
And I knew without askin' she was into the blues.
She wore scarlet begonias tucked into her curls,
I knew right away she was not like other girls, other girls.
In the heat of the evening when the dealin' got rough,
She was too pat to open and too cool to bluff.
As I picked up my matches and was closin' the door,
I had one of those flashes, I'd been there before, been there before.
F#
Well I ain't often right but I've never been wrong,
B A E
Seldom turns out the way it does in the song.
F#
Once in a while you get shown the light
B A E F# A B
In the strangest of places if you look at it right.
E
Well there ain't nothin' wrong with the way she moves,
All scarlet begonias or a touch of the blues.
And there's nothing wrong with the look that's in her eyes
I had to learn the hard way to let her pass by, let her pass by.
The wind in the willow's playing "Tea for Two,"
The sky was yellow and the sun was blue,
Strangers stopping strangers just to shake their hand,
Everybody's playing in the heart of gold band, heart of gold band.
How to play Scarlet Begonias
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 E. 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.