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Monty Python - Always Look on the Bright Side of Life Chords

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ChordsAm, D7, G, Em, A7
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

  • Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • Guitar D7 chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-1-2Guitar D7 chord diagram
  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
  • Guitar A7 chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-0-2-0Guitar A7 chord diagram

[Opening]
Some [Am]things in life are [D7]bad
They can [G]really make you [Em]mad,
And [Am]other things just [D7]make you swear and [G]curse [Em].
When you’re [Am]chewing on life’s [D7]gristle,
Don’t [G]grumble give a [Em]whistle
And [A7]this’ll help things turn out for the [D7]best and

[chorus]
[G]Always [Em]look on the [Am]bright [D7]side of [G]life
Whistle [Em] [Am] [D7]
[G]Always [Em]look on the [Am]light [D7]side of [G]life
Whistle [Em] [Am] [D7]

[verse 2]
If [Am]life seems jolly [D7]rotten
There is [G]something you’ve for [Em]gotten,
And [Am]that’s to laugh and [D7]smile and dance and [G]sing [Em].
When you’re [Am]feeling in the [D7]dumps, [G]don’t be silly [Em]chumps
Just [A7]purse your lips and whistle that’s the [D7]thing and

[chorus]
[G]Always [Em]look on the [Am]bright [D7]side of [G]life
Whistle [Em] [Am] [D7]
[G]Always [Em]look on the [Am]light [D7]side of [G]life
Whistle [Em] [Am] [D7]

[verse 3]
For [Am]life is quite ab[D7]surd and [G]death’s the final [Em]word;
You must [Am]always face the [D7]curtain with a [G]bow. [Em]
For [Am]get about your [D7]sin; give the [G]audience a [Em]grin
En[A7]joy it; it’s your last chance any[D7]how and

[verse 4]
[G]Always [Em]look on the [Am]bright [D7]side of [G]death
Whistle [Em] [Am] [D7]
[G]Just be [Em]fore you [Am]take your [D7]terminal [G]breathe.
Whistle [Em] [Am] [D7]

[Closing]
[Am]Life’s a piece of [D7]shit [G]when you look at [Em]it.
[Am]Life’s a laugh and [D7]death’s a joke it’s [G]true [Em]
[Am]You see it’s all a [D7]show; keep them [G]laughing as you [Em]go.
Just re [A7]member that the last laugh is on [D7]youand

[chorus]
[G]Always [Em]look on the [Am]bright [D7]side of [G]life
Whistle [Em] [Am] [D7]
[G]Always [Em]look on the [Am]light [D7]side of [G]life
Whistle [Em] [Am] [D7]

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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.
ArtistMonty Python
AlbumMonty Python's Life of Brian Soundtrack
GenresPop
Year1979
KeyAm

How to play Always Look on the Bright Side of Life on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Monty Python - Always Look on the Bright Side of Life on guitar requires 5 chords and 6 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.

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life uses these transitions most often: Am → D7 (28), D7 → G (28), and G → Em (28). 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 Am - D7 chord transition.

1. Am → D7 chord transition

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

To move from Am 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 G string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
Am to D7

2. D7 → G chord transition

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

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

3. G → Em chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram

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.
G to Em

4. Em → Am chord transition

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

To move from Em to Am;

  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 G string fret 2.
  3. Place index finger on B string fret 1.
Em to Am

5. 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.

6. 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.

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.

  • Always Look on the Bright Side of Life includes 119 chord transitions, 6 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Always Look on the Bright Side of Life contains 2 of the top 25 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Always Look on the Bright Side of Life connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After D7, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (51%), G7 (18%), and C (6%).
    • D7 → G: 51%
    • D7 → Am: 2%
    After Am, the most likely next chords across Chordier are F (26%), G (21%), and C (16%).
    • Am → D7: 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.