Taylor Swift - Cardigan Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar A chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar D chord diagram
Guitar Bm chord diagram
[Opening]
[Em]Vintage tee, brand new [A]phone, high heels on cobbles[G]tones
When you are young they assume you know [A]nothing
[Em]Sequined smile, black lip[A]stick, sensual poli[G]tics
When you are young, they assume you know [A]nothing
[verse 2]
[D]But I knew you, dancin’ in your [A]Levi’s.
Drunk under a streetlight, [G]I…
I knew you, hand under my [A]sweatshirt.
[A]Baby, kiss it better, I…
[chorus]
[Em]And when I felt like I was an old [A]cardigan.
Under someone’s [G]bed.
You put me on and said I was your [A]favorite.
[verse 3]
[Em]A friend to all is a friend to [A]none
Chase two girls, lose the [G]one
When you are young, they assume you know [A]nothing
[verse 4]
[D]But I knew you.
Playing hide and [A]seek and,
Giving me your weekends, [G]I, I knew you.
Your heartbeat on the [A]High Line, [A]once in twenty lifetimes, I.
[chorus]
[G]And when I felt like I was an old [Bm]cardigan.
Under someone’s [D]bed.
[D]You put me on and said I was your [A]favorite.
[verse 5]
[G] [Bm] [A] [G]
To kiss in [G]cars, and downtown bars, was all we [Bm]needed
You drew [A]stars around my scars, but now I’m [G]bleeding.
[D]’Cause I knew you, stepping on the [A]last train.
Marked me like a bloodstain, [G]I, I knew you…
Tried to change the [A]ending, Peter losing Wendy, I, [D]I knew you
Leaving like a [A]father, running like water, [G]I.
[G]When you are young, they assume you know [A]nothing
[verse 6]
But I knew you’d [D]linger like a tattoo kiss.
I knew you’d [A]haunt all of my what-ifs.
The smell of [G]smoke would hang around this long.
‘Cause I knew [A]everything when I was young.
[verse 7]
I knew I’d [D]curse you for the longest time.
Chasing [A]shadows in the grocery line.
I knew you’d [G]miss me once the thrill expired.
And you’d be [A]standing in my front porch light.
[Closing]
And I knew you’d come [Em]back to me.
And you’d come [A]back to me.
And you’d come [G]back to me.
And you’d come [A]back.
[chorus]
[G]And when I felt like I was an old [Bm]cardigan.
[D]Under someone’s [D]bed.
[D]You put me on and said I was your [A]favorite.
How to play Cardigan on Guitar (Step-by-step)
Taylor Swift - Cardigan on guitar requires 5 chords and 7 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.
Cardigan uses these transitions most often: A → G (16), G → A (11), and D → A (8). 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 Em - A chord transition.
1. Em → A chord transition
To move from Em to A;
- Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to B string fret 2.
- Place index finger on D string fret 2.
2. A → G chord transition
To move from A to G;
- Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 3.
3. A → D chord transition
To move from A to D;
- Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger on B string from fret 2 to fret 3.
4. G → Bm chord transition
To move from G to Bm;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to B string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 4.
- Place pinky on G string fret 4.
5. Bm → D chord transition
To move from Bm to D;
- While playing Bm, lift your pinky from G string fret 4.
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from B string fret 3 to E string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from D string fret 4 and place it on B string fret 3.
6. Bm → A chord transition
To move from Bm to A;
- While playing Bm, lift your pinky from G string fret 4.
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from B string fret 3 to G string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from D string fret 4 and place it on B string fret 2.
7. 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.
Cardigan chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Cardigan.
- Cardigan includes 58 chord transitions, 7 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- Cardigan contains 2 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how Cardigan 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 → G: 13%
After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).- G → D: 24%
- G → A: 6%