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Taylor Swift - Back to December Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsC, Am, F, G, Em
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 Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F 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

[Opening]
[C]I’m so glad you made time to see me.
[Am]How’s life? Tell me how’s your family?
[F]I haven’t seen them in a [C]while [G]
[C]You’ve been good, busier than ever,
[Am]We small talk, work and the weather,
[F]Your guard is up and I know [C]why [G]
[Am]Because the last time [G]you saw me
Is still [C]burned in the back of your [F]mind.
You gave me [Am]roses and I [G]left them there to [F]die

[chorus]
So [C]this is me swallowing my pride
Standing in [Em]front of you saying “I’m sorry for that [F]night”
And I go [C]back to December [G]all the time.
It [C]turns out freedom ain’t nothing but missing you
[Em]Wishing I’d realized what I had when [F]you were mine
I’d go [C]back to December, [G]turn around and make it all [F]right
I go [Am]back to December [G]all the time

[verse 2]
[C]These days I haven’t been sleeping,
[Am]Staying up, playing back myself leaving.
[F]When your birthday passed and I didn’t [C]call [G]
And I [C]think about summer, all the beautiful times,
[Am]I watched you laughing from the passenger side.
[F]Realized that I loved you in the [C]fall [G]
[Am]And then the cold came, [G]the dark days
When [C]fear crept into my [F]mind
You gave me [Am]all your love and all I [G]gave you was [F]”Goodbye”

[chorus]
So [C]this is me swallowing my pride
Standing in [Em]front of you saying “I’m sorry for that [F]night”
And I go [C]back to December [G]all the time.
It [C]turns out freedom ain’t nothing but missing you
[Em]Wishing I’d realized what I had when [F]you were mine
I’d go [C]back to December, [G]turn around and change my own [F]mind
I go [Am]back to December [G]all the time

[verse 3]
I miss your [Am]tanned skin, your [F]sweet smile, so [C]good to me, so [G]right
And how you [Am]held me in your [F]arms that September [C]night
The first time you [G]ever saw me [Am]cry
Maybe this is wishful thinking [F]probably mindless dreaming [C]
But if we loved again, I swear I’d love you [G]right
I’d go [Am]back in time and [G]change it but I [F]can’t.
So if the [Am]chain is on your [G]door I under[F]stand.

[chorus]
But [C]this is me swallowing my pride
Standing in [Em]front of you saying “I’m sorry for that [F]night”
And I go [C]back to December [G]
It [C]turns out freedom ain’t nothing but missing you,
[Em]Wishing I’d realized what I had when [F]you were mine.
I’d go [C]back to December, [G]turn around and make it all [F]right.
I’d go [Am]back to December, [G]turn around and change my [F]own mind

[Closing]
I go [Am]back to December [G]all the time.
[C] [Am] [F]All the [C]time [Am] [F]

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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.
ArtistTaylor Swift
AlbumSpeak Now
GenresCountry, Pop
Year2010
KeyC

How to play Back to December on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Taylor Swift - Back to December on guitar requires 5 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.

Back to December uses these transitions most often: F → C (17), C → G (13), and Am → G (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 C - Am chord transition.

1. C → Am chord transition

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

To move from C to Am;

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

2. Am → F chord transition

Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram

To move from Am 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. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.
Am to F

3. F → C chord transition

Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram

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.
F to C

4. 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

5. 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.

6. G → F chord transition

To move from G to F;

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

7. C → Em chord transition

To move from C to Em;

  1. While playing C, 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 A string fret 3 to D string fret 2.

8. 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.

Back to December chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Back to December.

  • Back to December includes 99 chord transitions, 8 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Back to December contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Back to December connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → F: 16%
    After F, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (40%), G (21%), and Am (11%).
    • F → C: 40%
    • F → Am: 11%
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.