Take A Train
View chords used in this chart
C6 | | D7-5 |
/ / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / /
You must take the A Train
Dm7 | G7 | C |
/ / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / /
To go to Sugar Hill way up in Harlem
Verse 2
If ....... you miss the A Train
You'll ... find you've missed the quickest way to Harlem
Bridge/Coda
FM7 | | |
/ / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / /
Hurry get on now it's coming
D7 | | Dm9 G9 | Db9
/ / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / /
Listen to those rails a-thrumming All
C6 | | D7-5 |
/ / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / /
'board Get on the A Train
Dm7 | G7
/ / / / | / / / /
soon you will be on Sugar Hill in
C C7/E F Ab7/Gb | C/G G9 C6 CM9
/ / / / | / / / /
Harlem.
I have the order listed as 2 verses then the bridge/coda.
Here are the meledies to the two sections. The |'s represent
quarter note beats and the .'s represent the eigth notes
between them.
Melody to verse:
C6
| . | . | . | . | | . | . | . | .
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
B|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
G|---------------------------------|-----9----------------------------
D|---------------------------------|-------------------------10-------
A|-10------------------------------|-----------------10---------------
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
D7-5
| . | . | . | . | | . | . | . | .
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
B|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
G|-9-------------------------------|----------------------------------
D|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
A|-----11--------------------------|----------------------------------
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
Dm7 G7
| . | . | . | . | | . | . | . | .
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
B|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
G|---------------------------------|-------------9--------------------
D|---------------------------------|-----8---9-------------------11---
A|-12------------------------------|-12--------------10--9---8--------
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
C
| . | . | . | . | | . | . | . | .
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
B|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
G|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
D|-10------------------------------|----------------------------------
A|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
E|-----12--------------------------|----------------------------------
Melody of bridge/coda:
FM7
| . | . | . | . | | . | . | . | .
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
B|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
G|---------------------------------|-9--------------------------------
D|-----10--------------------------|-------------------------10-------
A|-12------------------------------|-----8-----------12---------------
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
FM7 (cont.)
| . | . | . | . | | . | . | . | .
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
B|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
G|-9-------------------------------|----------------------------------
D|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
A|-----12--------------------------|----------------------------------
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
D7
| . | . | . | . | | . | . | . | .
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
B|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
G|---------------------------------|-9--------------------------------
D|-----10--------------------------|-------------------------10-------
A|-12------------------------------|---------9-------12---------------
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
Dm9 G9 Db9
| . | . | . | . | | . | . | . | .
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
B|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
G|-9-------------------------------|----------------------------------
D|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
A|-----12--------------------------|-----------------11---------------
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
C6
| . | . | . | . | | . | . | . | .
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
B|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
G|---------------------------------|-----9----------------------------
D|---------------------------------|-------------------------10-------
A|-10------------------------------|-----------------10---------------
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
D7-5
| . | . | . | . | | . | . | . | .
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
B|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
G|-9-------------------------------|----------------------------------
D|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
A|-----11--------------------------|----------------------------------
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
Dm7 G7
| . | . | . | . | | . | . | . | .
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
B|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
G|---------------------------------|-------------9--------------------
D|---------------------------------|-----8---9-------------------11---
A|-12------------------------------|-12--------------10--9---8--------
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
C C7/E F Ab7/Gb C/G G9 C6 CM9
| . | . | . | . | | . | . | . | .
E|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
B|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
G|---------------------------------|----------------------------------
D|-10------------------------------|---------9---10-------------------
A|---------------------------------|-10--12---------------------------
E|-----12--------------------------|-------------------------8--------
Possible chord voicings:
*** A=10th fret
C6 D7-5 Dm7 G7 C FM7 D7
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
8x798x x5657x x57565 3x343x x35553 x8A9A8 x57575
Dm9 G9 Db9 C7/E F Ab7/Gb C/G
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
x5355x xA9AAA x43444 x75556 x87565 x9x989 xAA98x
CM9
EADGBE
x35433
Let me know if there are any errors.
How to play Take A Train
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 C6. 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.