How to Play 1941 on Guitar?

Harry Nilsson - 1941 can be played in the key of D7 using the Bb7, A7, D7, G, C7, A chords. For Bb7, To play A#7 | Bb7, barre fret 1 from the low E string to the A string with finger 1, press fret 1 on the G string with finger 4, press fret 1 on the high E string with finger 4, let D ring open, mute B. For A7, To play A7, let low E, A, G, high E ring open, mute D, B. For D7, To play D7, press fret 2 on the low E string with finger 3, press fret 2 on the G string with finger 3, press fret 1 on the B string with finger 2, press fret 2 on the high E string with finger 3, let A, D ring open. For G, To play G, press fret 2 on the A string with finger 2, let D, G, B ring open, mute low E, high E. For C7, To play C7, press fret 1 on the B string with finger 2, let low E, G, high E ring open, mute A, D. For A, To play A, press fret 2 on the D string with finger 2, let low E, A, high E ring open, mute G, B. Barre: Use your index finger to press multiple strings on the same fret, keeping your finger flat. You can play 1941 with the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ strumming pattern.

Harry Nilsson - 1941 Chords

Chord reference Bb7, A7, D7, G, C7, A

Rhythm tips ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

[Bb7] [A7] Well in [D7]nineteen-forty [G]one a happy [C7]father had a [A]son And by [D7]nineteen-forty [G]four the father [C7]walks right out the [A]door And in [D7]forty [G]five the mom and [C7]son were still a[A]live But [Bb7]who could tell in forty six if the [A7]two were to survive

Well the [D7]years were passing [G]quickly, but not [C7]fast enough for [A]him So he [D7]closed his eyes through [G]fifty five, then he [C7]opened them up [A]again

Then he [D7]looked around he [G]saw a clown and the [C7]clown seemed very [A]gay And he [Bb7]set that night to join that circus [A7]clown and run away

Well he [D7]followed every [G]railroad track and [C7]every highway [A]sign And he [D7]had a girl in [G]each new town and the [C7]towns he left be[A]hind And the [D7]open [G]road was the [C7]only road that he [A]knew But the [Bb7]color of his dreams was slowly [A7]turning into blue

Then he [D7]met a girl, the [G]kind of girl he [C7]wanted all his [A]life She was [D7]soft and kind and [G]good to him, so he [C7]took her for a [A]wife And they [D7]got a house not [G]far from town and [C7]in a little [A]while The [Bb7]girl had seen the doctor and she [A7]came home with a smile

Now in [D7]nineteen-sixty [G]one a happy [C7]father had a [A]son And by [D7]nineteen-sixty [G]four the father [C7]walked right out the [A]door And in [D7]sixty [G]five the mom and [C7]son were still a[A]round But [Bb7]what will happen to the boy when the [A7]circus comes to town Well allololo la diddy etc (chords as per verse) fading

Artist Harry Nilsson

Album Pandemonium Shadow Show

Genres Alternative, Indie

Year 1967

Key D7

Harry Nilsson - 1941 can be played in the key of D7 using the Bb7, A7, D7, G, C7, A chords.

For Bb7, To play A#7 | Bb7, barre fret 1 from the low E string to the A string with finger 1, press fret 1 on the G string with finger 4, press fret 1 on the high E string with finger 4, let D ring open, mute B.
For A7, To play A7, let low E, A, G, high E ring open, mute D, B.
For D7, To play D7, press fret 2 on the low E string with finger 3, press fret 2 on the G string with finger 3, press fret 1 on the B string with finger 2, press fret 2 on the high E string with finger 3, let A, D ring open.
For G, To play G, press fret 2 on the A string with finger 2, let D, G, B ring open, mute low E, high E.
For C7, To play C7, press fret 1 on the B string with finger 2, let low E, G, high E ring open, mute A, D.
For A, To play A, press fret 2 on the D string with finger 2, let low E, A, high E ring open, mute G, B.

Barre: Use your index finger to press multiple strings on the same fret, keeping your finger flat.

You can play 1941 with the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ strumming pattern.