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14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?The 100 most repeated chord transitions extracted from thousands of songs. Even the first 10 will transform your guitar practice routine.

Elvis Costello - Alison Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsB, G#m, A, C#m, F#m, E, D, G#
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

  • Guitar B chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-4-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar B chord diagram
  • Guitar G#m | A♭m chord diagram Fingering: 4-6-6-4-4-4 Barre at fret 4. Base fret 4.Guitar G#m | A♭m chord diagram
  • Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
  • Guitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram Fingering: x-4-2-1-2-xGuitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram
  • Guitar F#m | G♭m chord diagram Fingering: 2-4-4-2-2-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar F#m | G♭m chord diagram
  • Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
  • Guitar G# | A♭ chord diagram Fingering: 4-3-1-1-1-x Barre at fret 1.Guitar G# | A♭ chord diagram

[Opening]
[B] [G#m] [A] [C#m] [B] [F#m] [G#m] [B]
Oh it’s so [A]funny to be seeing you after [E]so long girl
[A]And by the way you look I understand that [G#m]you were not [C#m]impressed [B]
[A]But I heard you let that little [G#m]friend of [C#m]mine, [D]take off your party [B]dress
[A]I’m not gonna get [G#m]too senti[C#m]mental, [B]like those [A]other sticky [G#m]valentines [C#m] [B]
[A]’Cause I don’t know if you were [G#m]loving some[C#m]body, [D]I only know it isn’t [B]mine

[chorus]
[A]Alison [E]I [A]know this [B]world is [G#m] [G#]killing [C#m]you [B]
[A]Oh Alison [E] [A]my [B]aim is [E]true

[Closing]
Well I [A]see you’ve got a [E]husband now
Did he [A]leave your pretty fingers lying [G#m]in the wedding [C#m]cake [B]
You [A]used to hold him right [G#m]in your [C#m]hand, but he [D]took all that he could [B]take
[A]Sometimes I wish that I could [G#m]stop you from [C#m]talking
[B]When I [A]hear those silly things that you [G#m]say [C#m] [B]
I [A]think somebody better [G#m]put out the big [C#m]light
(Be)cause I [D]can’t stand to see you this [B]way

[chorus]
[A]Alison [E]I [A]know this [B]world is [G#m] [G#]killing [C#m]you [B]
[A]Oh Alison [E] [A]my [B]aim is [E]true
[A] [D]My [B]aim is [E]true, [A] [D]my [B]aim is [E]true

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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.
ArtistElvis Costello
AlbumMy Aim Is True
GenresRock
Year1977
KeyB

How to play Alison on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Elvis Costello - Alison on guitar requires 8 chords and 15 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.

Alison uses these transitions most often: B → A (13), A → G#m (10), and G#m → C#m (10). 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 B - G#m chord transition.

1. B → G#m chord transition

Guitar B chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-4-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar B chord diagram
Guitar G#m | A♭m chord diagram Fingering: 4-6-6-4-4-4 Barre at fret 4. Base fret 4.Guitar G#m | A♭m chord diagram

To move from B to G#m;

  1. While playing B, lift your middle finger from D string fret 4.
  2. Slide your index finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 4.
  3. Slide your ring finger from G string fret 4 to A string fret 6.
  4. Lift your pinky from B string fret 4 and place it on D string fret 6.
B to G#m

2. G#m → A chord transition

Guitar G#m | A♭m chord diagram Fingering: 4-6-6-4-4-4 Barre at fret 4. Base fret 4.Guitar G#m | A♭m chord diagram
Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram

To move from G#m to A;

  1. While playing G#m, lift your pinky from D string fret 6.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 4 and place it on D string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 6 to B string fret 2.
  4. Place middle finger on G string fret 2.
G#m to A

3. A → C#m chord transition

Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
Guitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram Fingering: x-4-2-1-2-xGuitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram

To move from A to C#m;

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

4. C#m → B chord transition

Guitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram Fingering: x-4-2-1-2-xGuitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram
Guitar B chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-4-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar B chord diagram

To move from C#m to B;

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

5. B → F#m chord transition

To move from B to F#m;

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

6. F#m → G#m chord transition

To move from F#m to G#m;

  1. Slide your index finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 4.
  2. Slide your ring finger on A string from fret 4 to fret 6.
  3. Slide your pinky on D string from fret 4 to fret 6.

7. B → A chord transition

To move from B to A;

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

8. A → E chord transition

To move from A to E;

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

9. G#m → C#m chord transition

To move from G#m to C#m;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 4 and place it on G string fret 1.
  2. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 6 to B string fret 2.
  3. Lift your pinky from D string fret 6 and place it on A string fret 4.
  4. Place middle finger on D string fret 2.

10. C#m → D chord transition

To move from C#m to D;

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

11. D → B chord transition

To move from D to B;

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

12. G#m → G# chord transition

To move from G#m to G#;

  1. While playing G#m, lift your pinky from D string fret 6.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 4 and place it on D string fret 1.
  3. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 6 to E string fret 4.
  4. Place middle finger on A string fret 3.

13. G# → C#m chord transition

To move from G# to C#m;

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

14. B → E chord transition

To move from B to E;

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

15. A → D chord transition

To move from A 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 G string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on B string from fret 2 to fret 3.

Alison chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Alison.

  • Alison includes 89 chord transitions, 15 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Alison contains 1 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Alison connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After A, the most likely next chords across Chordier are D (29%), G (13%), and E (12%).
    • A → D: 29%
    • A → E: 12%
    After B, the most likely next chords across Chordier are E (21%), Em (16%), and A (16%).
    • B → E: 21%
    • B → A: 16%
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.