The Pretender
View chords used in this chart
G C/G C D G/B Am7 Em B7 A9 A9/G
E -3----0-----0----2----3-------0------0-----2-----3------3----
B -0----1-----1----3----3-------1------0-----4-----2------2----
G -0----0-----0----2----0-------0------0-----2-----4------4----
D -0----2-----2----0----0-------2------2-----4-----2------2----
A -x----3-----3---------2-------0------2------2-----0------0----
E -3----3-------------------------------------------------------3----
D/F# G/D D/C D#o7
E ---x---------3-------2--------2-----------------------
B ---3---------3-------3--------1----------------------
G ---2---------0-------2--------2-------------------------
D ---x---------x-------x--------1-----------------------
A ---x---------5-------3---------------------------------
E ----2-------------------------------------------------
Intro Part 1:
E -7---------7--------7h8---------------8-----------8----------8-
B -8--8--------8------------7s8--10----8---8----------8---------
G -7------7--------7----------------------9------9----------9------
D -0---------0--------0------------------10---------10--------10-
A -------------------------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------------------------
E --------8----------|-----------------------------
B -8---------8------|-----------------------------
G ----9----------9--|---REPEAT---------------
D -------10---------|-----------------------------
A -------------------|-----------------------------
E --------------------|-----------------------------
Intro Part 2:
E -3--------------------------|--------------------
B -3--0--1--0------0-------|--------------------
G -0--0--0--0---2--0--0--|-REPEAT--------
D -----0--2--0---2--0--2--|--------------------
A -----------------3------3--|-------------------
E -3----------------------3--|-------------------
Verse 1:
G C/G
I'm gonna rent myself a house in the shade of the freeway,
G D
C
Gonna pack my lunch in the morning, and go to work each day
G C
And when the evening rolls around,
G C
I'll go on home and lay my body down
G D
And when the morning light comes streaming in
C G/B Am7 G
I'll get up and do it again Amen
C G/B Am7 G
Say it again Amen
D -----------0-------------------------
A --2---3------------------------------
Verse 2
G
I want to know what became of the changes,
C/G
We waited for love to bring
G
Were they only the fitful dreams
D C
Of some greater awakening
G C
I've been aware of the time going by
G C
They say in the end it's the blink of an eye
G D
And when the morning light comes streaming in
C G/B Am7 G
You'll get up and do it again Amen
D
Caught between the longing for love
C Em B7
And the struggle for the legal tender
C/G
Where the sirens sing and the churchbells ring
Em
And the junkman pounds his fender
C G
Where the veterans dream of the fight,
B7 Em
Fast asleep at the traffic light
A9 A9/G D/F#
And the children solemnly wait for the ice cream vendor
Em D C D
Em
Out into the cool of the evening, strolls the pretender
C D
He knows that all his hopes an dreams
G
Begin and end there
E -----------------------------------3-------------
B --------3--5----------------------0--------------
G --2s4---------4--2-0-2-0-----0-------------
D -------------------------------2----------------
A -----------------------------------------------
E -----------------------------------3--------------
C G
Ah the lovers as they run through the night
C Em
Leaving nothing but to choose off and fight
D#O7 G/D C
And tear at the world with all their might
G/D Em
While the ships bearing their dreams
G/D D
Sail out of sight
Verse 3
G
I'm gonna find myself a girl,
C/G
Who can show me what laughter means
G D
Then we'll fill in the missing colors in each others
C
Paint by number dreams
G C
And then we'll put our dark glasses on
G C
And we'll make love until our strength is gone
G D
And when the morning light comes streaming in
C G/B Am7 G
We'll get up and do it again
C G/B Am7 G
Get it up again
G D D/C
Em
I'm gonna be a happy idiot, and struggle for the legal tender
B7 C/G
Where the ads take aim, and lay their claim
Em
To the heart and the soul of the spender
C G
And believe in whatever may lie
B7 Em
In those things that money can buy
A9 A9/G D/F#
Though true love could have been a contender
Em D C D Em
Are you there, say a prayer for the pretender
C D G
Who started out so young and strong only to surrender
Over Intro Part 2:
G C
Say a prayer for the pretender
G C
Are you there for the pretender
G C
Are you prepared for the pretender etc.
How to play The Pretender
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 G. 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.