Samuel A. Ward - America the Beautiful Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow. Using the Transpose tool, switch to D key to play this song with easier chords.
Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar D chord diagram
Guitar D7 chord diagram
Guitar A chord diagram
Guitar A7 chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram
[Opening]
O [G]beautiful for [D]spacious skies, for [D7]amber waves of [G]grain
For purple mountain [D]majesties, [A]above the [A7]fruited [D]plain! [D7]
[G]America, [D]America, God [D7]shed his grace on [G]thee
And [C]crown thy good with [G]brotherhood, from [C]sea to [D7]shining [G]sea!
[verse 2]
O [G]beautiful for [D]pilgrim feet, whose [D7]stern impassioned [G]stress
A thoroughfare of [D]freedom beat, [A]across the [A7]wilder[D]ness! [D]
[G]America, [D]America, God [D7]mend thine every [G]flaw
Con[C]firm thy soul in [G]self-control, thy [C]liber[D7]ty in [G]law!
[verse 3]
O [G]beautiful for [D]heroes proved, in [D7]liberating [G]strife.
Who more than self their [D]country loved, and [A]mercy [A7]more than [D]life! [D7]
[G]America, [D]America, may [D7]God thy gold re[G]fine
Till [C]all success be [G]nobleness, and [C]every [D7]gain di[G]vine!
[verse 4]
O [G]beautiful for [D]patriot dream, that [D7]sees beyond the [G]years
Thine alabaster [D]cities gleam, un[A]dimmed by [A7]human [D]tears! [D7]
[G]America, [D]America, God [D7]shed his grace on [G]thee
And [C]crown thy good with [G]brotherhood, from [C]sea to [D7]shining [G]sea!
[verse 5]
O [G]beautiful for [D]halcyon skies, for [D7]amber waves of [G]grain,
For purple mountain [D]majesties, [A]above the [A7]enameled [D]plain! [D7]
[G]America, [D]America, God [D7]shed his grace on [G]thee
Till [C]souls wax fair as [G]earth and air and [C]music-[D7]hearted [G]sea!
[verse 6]
O [G]beautiful for [D]pilgrims feet, whose [D7]stern impassioned [G]stress
A thoroughfare for [D]freedom beat, [A]across the [A7]wilder[D]ness! [D7]
[G]America, [D]America, God [D7]shed his grace on [G]thee
Till [C]paths be wrought through [G]wilds of thought by [C]pilgrim [D7]foot and [G]knee!
[verse 7]
O [G]beautiful for [D]glory-tale of [D7]liberating [G]strife
When once and twice, for [D]man’s avail, men [A]lavished [A7]precious [D]life! [D7]
[G]America, [D]America, God [D7]shed his grace on [G]thee
Till [C]selfish gain no [G]longer stain, the [C]banner [D7]of the [G]free!
[Closing]
O [G]beautiful for [D]patriot dream that [D7]sees beyond the [G]years
Thine alabaster [D]cities gleam, un[A]dimmed by [A7]human [D]tears! [D7]
[G]America, [D]America, God [D7]shed his grace on [G]thee
Till [C]nobler men keep [G]once again, thy [C]whiter [D7]jubilee! [G]
How to play America the Beautiful on Guitar (Step-by-step)
Samuel A. Ward - America the Beautiful on guitar requires 6 chords and 8 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.
America the Beautiful uses these transitions most often: D7 → G (31), G → D (24), and D → D7 (23). 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 - D chord transition.
1. G → D chord transition
To move from G to D;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to E string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.
2. D → D7 chord transition
To move from D to D7;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 2.
3. D7 → G chord transition
To move from D7 to G;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 3.
4. D → A chord transition
To move from D to A;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger on B string from fret 3 to fret 2.
5. A → A7 chord transition
To move from A to A7;
- While playing A, lift your ring finger from B string fret 2.
- Keep index finger on D string fret 2.
- Lift your middle finger from G string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 2.
6. A7 → D chord transition
To move from A7 to D;
- Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from B string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on B string fret 3.
7. G → C chord transition
To move from G to C;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
8. C → D7 chord transition
To move from C to D7;
- Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
- Lift your middle finger from D string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to E string fret 2.
America the Beautiful chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in America the Beautiful.
- America the Beautiful includes 135 chord transitions, 8 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- America the Beautiful contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how America the Beautiful 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 → D: 24%
After D, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).- D → G: 29%
- D → A: 17%