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Electric Light Orchestra - 21st Century Man Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsC, G, Am, Em, C7, F, Dm, Bb, Bb7, G7, Fm
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
  • Guitar C7 chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-3-1-0Guitar C7 chord diagram
  • Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
  • Guitar Dm chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-1Guitar Dm chord diagram
  • Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram Fingering: x-1-3-3-3-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram
  • Guitar A#7 | B♭7 chord diagram Fingering: x-1-3-1-3-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar A#7 | B♭7 chord diagram
  • Guitar G7 chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-1Guitar G7 chord diagram
  • Guitar Fm chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-1-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar Fm chord diagram

[Opening]
[C]A penny in your [G]pocket [G] [Am]
[Am]Suitcase in your [Em]hand [C7] [F]
[F]They won’t get you [C]very far
Now you’re a [Dm]21st century [F]man [G] [G]

[verse 2]
[C]Fly across the [G]city [G] [Am]
[Am]Rise above the [Em]land [C7] [F]
[F]You can do ‘most [C]anything
Now you’re a [Dm]21st century [Bb]man [Bb] [Bb7]

[verse 3]
[G]Though you [G7]ride on the [C]wheels of [F]tomorrow [Dm] [Am]
[G]You still [G7]wander the [C]fields of your [F]sorrow
What will it [Fm]bring?

[verse 4]
[C]One day you’re a [G]hero [G] [Am]
[Am]Next day you’re a [Em]clown [C7] [F]
[F]There’s nothing that is [C]in between
Now you’re a [Dm]21st century [F]man [G] [G]

[verse 5]
[C]You should be so [G]happy [G] [Am]
[Am]You should be so [Em]glad [C7] [F]
[F]So why are you so [C]lonely
You [Dm]21st century [Bb]man [Bb] [Bb7]

[verse 6]
[G]You stepped [G7]out of a dream
[C]Believing every [F]thing was gone [Dm] [Am]
[G]Return with [G7]what you’ve learned
They’ll [C]kiss the ground you walk [F]upon [Fm]

[verse 7]
[Dm]21st century [F]man [G] [G]
[C]Things ain’t how you thought they [G]were, [G] [Am]
[Am]Nothing have you [Em]planned [C7] [F]
[F]So pick up your penny and your [C]suitcase,
You’re not a [Dm]21st century [Bb]man [Bb] [Bb7]

[verse 8]
[G]Though you [G7]ride on the [C]wheels of to[F]morrow [Dm]to[Am]mor[G]row
[G]You still [G7]wander the [C]fields [F]of your sorrow Tomorrow [Fm]

[Closing]
[F]21st century [C]man Maa[Dm]aaan[Em]
[F]21st century [C]man Maa[Dm]aaan[Em]
[F]21st century [C]man Maa[Dm]aaan[Em]

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SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
ArtistElectric Light Orchestra
AlbumTime
GenresPop
Year1981
KeyC

How to play 21st Century Man on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Electric Light Orchestra - 21st Century Man on guitar requires 11 chords and 20 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

21st Century Man uses these transitions most often: C → Dm (8), F → C (8), and C → F (6). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with C - G chord transition.

1. C → G chord transition

Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram

To move from C to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
C to G

2. G → Am chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram

To move from G to Am;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
G to Am

3. Am → Em chord transition

Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram

To move from Am to Em;

  1. While playing Am, lift your index finger from B string fret 1.
  2. Lift your middle finger from D string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
Am to Em

4. Em → C7 chord transition

Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar C7 chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-3-1-0Guitar C7 chord diagram

To move from Em to C7;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
  2. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 3.
  3. Place index finger on B string fret 1.
  4. Place pinky on G string fret 3.
Em to C7

5. C7 → F chord transition

To move from C7 to F;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  4. Lift your pinky from G string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 3.

6. F → C chord transition

To move from F to C;

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  4. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.

7. C → Dm chord transition

To move from C to Dm;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.

8. Dm → F chord transition

To move from Dm to F;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from B string fret 3 to A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

9. F → G chord transition

To move from F to G;

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  4. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.

10. Dm → Bb chord transition

To move from Dm to Bb;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on B string fret 3.

11. Bb → Bb7 chord transition

To move from Bb to Bb7;

  1. While playing Bb, lift your middle finger from D string fret 3.
  2. Keep index finger on A string fret 1.
  3. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 3.
  4. Keep pinky on B string fret 3.

12. Bb7 → G chord transition

To move from Bb7 to G;

  1. While playing Bb7, lift your pinky from B string fret 3.
  2. Slide your index finger on A string from fret 1 to fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 3 to E string fret 3.
  4. Place middle finger on E string fret 3.

13. G → G7 chord transition

To move from G to G7;

  1. Keep index finger on A string fret 2.
  2. Keep middle finger on E string fret 3.
  3. Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 3 to fret 1.

14. G7 → C chord transition

To move from G7 to C;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 3.

15. Dm → Am chord transition

To move from Dm to Am;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.

16. F → Fm chord transition

To move from F to Fm;

  1. While playing F, lift your middle finger from G string fret 2.
  2. Keep index finger on E string fret 1.
  3. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  4. Keep pinky on D string fret 3.

17. Fm → C chord transition

To move from Fm to C;

  1. While playing Fm, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  4. Place middle finger on D string fret 2.

18. Fm → Dm chord transition

To move from Fm to Dm;

  1. While playing Fm, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  3. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to B string fret 3.
  4. Place middle finger on G string fret 2.

19. Dm → Em chord transition

To move from Dm to Em;

  1. While playing Dm, lift your index finger from E string fret 1.
  2. Lift your middle finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from B string fret 3 to D string fret 2.

20. Em → F chord transition

To move from Em to F;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 3.
  3. Place index finger on E string fret 1.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

21st Century Man chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in 21st Century Man.

  • 21st Century Man includes 97 chord transitions, 20 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • 21st Century Man contains 4 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how 21st Century Man connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → C: 25%
    • G → Am: 13%
    After F, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (40%), G (21%), and Am (11%).
    • F → C: 40%
    • F → G: 21%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.