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Foster and Allen - After The Ball Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsG, D7, Am, E7, C, A7, Em, Cm, D, A
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar D7 chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-1-2Guitar D7 chord diagram
  • Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • Guitar E7 chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-0-1-0-0Guitar E7 chord diagram
  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
  • Guitar A7 chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-0-2-0Guitar A7 chord diagram
  • Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
  • Guitar Cm chord diagram Fingering: x-3-1-0-1-3Guitar Cm chord diagram
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
  • Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram

[Opening]
[G]A little maiden climbed an old man’s [D7]knee
[Am]Begged for a [D7]story “Do, uncle, [G]please!”
Why are you single; [E7]why live [Am]alone?
[C]Have you no [G]ba[E7]bies; [A7]have [D7]you no [G]home?”

[verse 2]
“[Em]I had a sweet[C]heart, years, [D7]years a[G]go,
[C]Where [Cm]she is [G]now, [Em]pet, [A7]you will soon [D]know.
[G]Listen to the story, [E7]I’ll tell it [Am]all,
[C]I found her [G]faith[E7]less, [A7]af[D7]ter the [G]ball.”

[chorus]
After the [C]ball is [G]over,
After the [Am]break of [D7]morn
[Am]After the dancers’ [E7]leaving;
[D7]After the stars are [G]gone;

[chorus]
[G]Many a [C]heart is [G]aching,
[E7]If you could read them [A7]all;
[D7]Many the hopes that have [G]vanished
[A7]Af[D7]ter the [G]ball.

[verse 3]
[G]“Bright lights were flashing in the grand ball[D7]room,
[Am]Softly the [D7]music, playing sweet [G]tunes.
There came my sweetheart, [E7]my love, my [A]own
“[C]I [Cm]wish some [G]wa[Em]ter; [A7]leave [D7]me a[G]lone.”

[verse 4]
[Em]When I returned, [C]dear, there [E7]stood a [G]man,
[C]Kiss[Cm]ing my [G]sweet[Em]heart, [A7]as [D7]lovers [G]can.
[G]Down fell the glass, pet, [E7]broken, that’s [Am]all.
[C]Just as my [G]heart [E7]was, [A7]af[D7]ter the [G]ball.”
After the ball is over…

[chorus]
After the [C]ball is [G]over,
After the [Am]break of [D7]morn
[Am]After the dancers’ [E7]leaving;
[D7]After the stars are [G]gone;

[chorus]
[G]Many a [C]heart is [G]aching,
[E7]If you could read them [A7]all;
[D7]Many the hopes that have [G]vanished
[A7]Af[D7]ter the [G]ball.

[verse 5]
[G]“Long years have passed child, I’ve never [D7]wed
[Am]True to my [D7]lost love, though she is [G]dead.
She tried to tell me, [E7]tried to ex[Am]plain;
[C]I [Cm]would not [G]lis[Em]ten, [A7]plea[D7]dings were [G]vain.

[Closing]
[Em]One day a le[C]tter came [D]from that [G]man,
[C]He [Cm]was [D7]her [G]bro[Em]ther [A7]the letter [D]ran.
[G]That’s why I’m lonely, all [E7]home a[Am]lone;
[C]I [Cm]broke her [D7]heart, [E7]dear, [A7]af[D7]ter the [G]ball.”

[chorus]
After the [C]ball is [G]over,
After the [Am]break of [D7]morn
[Am]After the dancers’ [E7]leaving;
[D7]After the stars are [G]gone;

[chorus]
[G]Many a [C]heart is [G]aching,
[E7]If you could read them [A7]all;
[D7]Many the hopes that have [G]vanished
[A7]Af[D7]ter the [G]ball.
[D7]Many the hopes that have [G]vanished
[A7]Af[D7]ter the [G]ball.

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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.
ArtistFoster and Allen
AlbumMemories
GenresCountry, Funk
Year1991
KeyG

How to play After The Ball on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Foster and Allen - After The Ball on guitar requires 10 chords and 24 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.

After The Ball uses these transitions most often: D7 → G (23), A7 → D7 (14), and G → E7 (12). 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 G - D7 chord transition.

1. G → D7 chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar D7 chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-1-2Guitar D7 chord diagram

To move from G to D7;

  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 G string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 3 to fret 2.
G to D7

2. D7 → Am chord transition

Guitar D7 chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-1-2Guitar D7 chord diagram
Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram

To move from D7 to Am;

  1. Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
  2. Lift your middle finger from G string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from E string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
D7 to Am

3. G → E7 chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar E7 chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-0-1-0-0Guitar E7 chord diagram

To move from G to E7;

  1. While playing G, lift your ring finger from E string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to A string fret 2.
G to E7

4. E7 → Am chord transition

Guitar E7 chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-0-1-0-0Guitar E7 chord diagram
Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram

To move from E7 to Am;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  3. Place ring finger on G string fret 2.
E7 to Am

5. Am → C chord transition

To move from Am to C;

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

6. C → G chord transition

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.

7. E7 → A7 chord transition

To move from E7 to A7;

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

8. A7 → D7 chord transition

To move from A7 to D7;

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

9. G → Em chord transition

To move from G to Em;

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

10. Em → C chord transition

To move from Em to C;

  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.

11. C → D7 chord transition

To move from C to D7;

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

12. C → Cm chord transition

To move from C to Cm;

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

13. Cm → G chord transition

To move from Cm to G;

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

14. Em → A7 chord transition

To move from Em to A7;

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

15. A7 → D chord transition

To move from A7 to D;

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

16. D → G chord transition

To move from D to G;

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

17. G → Am chord transition

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.

18. E7 → D7 chord transition

To move from E7 to D7;

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

19. G → A7 chord transition

To move from G to A7;

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

20. E7 → A chord transition

To move from E7 to A;

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

21. A → C chord transition

To move from A to C;

  1. Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 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 2 and place it on A string fret 3.

22. C → E7 chord transition

To move from C to E7;

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

23. C → D chord transition

To move from C to D;

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

24. Cm → D7 chord transition

To move from Cm to D7;

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

After The Ball chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in After The Ball.

  • After The Ball includes 153 chord transitions, 24 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • After The Ball contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how After The Ball 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 D7, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (51%), G7 (18%), and C (6%).
    • D7 → G: 51%
    • D7 → Am: 2%
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.