Skip to song content

Glen Campbell - By the Time I Get to Phoenix Chords

ChordsG7, Dm, C, C7, F, Em, Am, Bb, E7, A
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

G7BytheDmtimeIgettoG7Phoenixshe’llbeCrising
She’llDmfindthenoteIleftG7hangingonherCdoorC7
She’llFlaughwhenshereadstheG7partthatsaysI’mEmleavingAm
CauseI’veDmleftthatgirlsomanytimes BbbeforeG7
BytheDmtimeImake G7Albuquerqueshe’llbeCworking
She’llDmprobablystopatG7lunchandgivemeaCcallC7
ButFshe’lljusthearthatG7phonekeeponEmringingAm
OfftheDmwallthat’sBballG7
BytheDmtimeImake G7Oklahomashe’llbeCsleeping
She’llturnDmsoftlyandG7callmynameoutClowC7
Andshe’llFcryjusttoG7thinkI’dreallyEmleaveherAm
ThoughDmtimeandtimeG7ItrytotellherCsoC7F
ShejustDmdidn’tE7knowIwouldreallyAgo
AlbumBy the Time I Get to Phoenix
GenresFolk
Year1967
KeyG
DifficultyAdvanced

How to play By the Time I Get to Phoenix on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Glen Campbell - By the Time I Get to Phoenix on guitar requires 10 chords and 14 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.

By the Time I Get to Phoenix uses these transitions most often: Dm → G7 (7), G7 → C (7), and C → C7 (4). 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 G7 - Dm chord transition.

1. G7 → Dm chord transition

Switching from G7 to Dm:

  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 1 and place it on B string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

G7 to Dm

2. G7 → C chord transition

Here's how to move from G7 to C:

  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 1 and place it on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 7 times.

G7 to C

3. C → Dm chord transition

Here's how to move from C to Dm:

  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 A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

C to Dm

4. C → C7 chord transition

Switching from C to C7:

  1. Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
  3. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on G string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

C to C7

5. C7 → F chord transition

Switching from C7 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. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  4. Lift your pinky from G string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

6. F → G7 chord transition

Here's how to move from F to G7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

7. G7 → Em chord transition

Here's how to move from G7 to Em:

  1. While playing G7, 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 1 to D string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

8. Em → Am chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

9. Am → Dm chord transition

Switching from Am to Dm:

  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 B string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

10. Dm → Bb chord transition

To move from Dm to Bb:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

11. Bb → G7 chord transition

To move from Bb to G7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

12. F → Dm chord transition

Here's how to move from F to Dm:

  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 E string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  4. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to B string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse.

13. Dm → E7 chord transition

Here's how to move from Dm to E7:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

14. E7 → A chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in By the Time I Get to Phoenix.

  • By the Time I Get to Phoenix includes 47 chord transitions, 14 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.01% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • By the Time I Get to Phoenix contains 5 of the top 25 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how By the Time I Get to Phoenix connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After G7, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (69%), C7 (5%), and F (5%).
    • G7 → C: 69%
    • G7 → Dm: 3%
    After Dm, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (18%), G (16%), and Am (14%).
    • Dm → Bb: 9%
    • Dm → G7: 6%