David Bowie - China Girl Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar Am chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar B chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar D chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram
[intro]
[G] [Am] [G] [Am]
[Opening]
[G]I could escape this feeling, [Am]with my China Girl
[G]I feel a wreck without my, [Am]little China Girl
[Em]I hear her heart beating, [G]loud as thunder
[Am]Saw the stars crashing [B]
[G]I’m a mess without [Am]my little China Girl
[G]Wake up in the morning where’s my, [Am]little China Girl
[Em]I hear her heart’s beating, [G]loud as thunder
[Am]Saw the stars crashing [B]down
[G]I feel a-tragic like I’m [F]Marlon Brando
[Em]When I look at my China [D]Girl
[G]I could pretend that nothing [F]really meant too much
[Em]When I look at my China [D]Girl
[interlude]
[Em] [D] [C] [B]
[verse 2]
[Em]I stumble into town [D]just like a sacred cow
[C]Visions of swastikas in my head, [B]plans for everyone
[Em]It’s in the whites of my [D]eyes [C] [B]
[Em]My little China Girl, [D]you shouldn’t mess with me
[C]I’ll ruin everything you [B]are
[Em]I’ll give you television, [D]I’ll give you eyes of blue
[C]I’ll give you a man who wants to [B]rule the world
[G]And when I get excited, [F]my little China Girl says
[Em]Oh baby just you shut your [D]mouth
She says [Em]shhh [D]
She says [C]shhh [B]
She says [Em] [D]
She says [C] [B]
[interlude]
[Em] [D] [C] [B]
[Closing]
[G]And when I get excited [F]my little China Girl says
[Em]Oh baby just you shut your [D]mouth
[G]And when I get excited [F]my little China Girl says
[Em]Oh baby just you shut your [D]mouth
She says [Em]shhh [D]
She says [C]shhh [B]
[outro]
[Em] [D] [C] [B] [Em]
How to play China Girl on Guitar (Step-by-step)
David Bowie - China Girl on guitar requires 7 chords and 12 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.
China Girl uses these transitions most often: Em → D (15), C → B (10), and D → C (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 G - Am chord transition.
1. G → Am chord transition
To move from G to Am;
- 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 G string fret 2.
2. Am → Em chord transition
To move from Am to Em;
- While playing Am, lift your index finger from B string fret 1.
- Lift your middle finger from D string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
3. Em → G chord transition
To move from Em to G;
- Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 3.
- Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Place index finger on A string fret 2.
4. Am → B chord transition
To move from Am to B;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger on D string from fret 2 to fret 4.
- Slide your ring finger on G string from fret 2 to fret 4.
- Place pinky on B string fret 4.
5. B → G chord transition
To move from B to G;
- While playing B, lift your pinky from B string fret 4.
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 4 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from G string fret 4 and place it on E string fret 3.
6. G → F chord transition
To move from G to F;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to G string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
- Place pinky on D string fret 3.
7. F → Em chord transition
To move from F to Em;
- While playing F, first lift your index finger and pinky.
- Lift your middle finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
8. Em → D chord transition
To move from Em to D;
- Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to B string fret 3.
- Place index finger on G string fret 2.
9. D → G chord transition
To move from D to G;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
10. D → C chord transition
To move from D to C;
- 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 D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
11. C → B chord transition
To move from C to B;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger on D string from fret 2 to fret 4.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 4.
- Place pinky on B string fret 4.
12. B → Em chord transition
To move from B to Em;
- While playing B, first lift your index finger and pinky.
- Lift your middle finger from D string fret 4 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from G string fret 4 to D string fret 2.
China Girl chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in China Girl.
- China Girl includes 80 chord transitions, 12 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- China Girl contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how China Girl connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After Em, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (26%), G (18%), and D (17%).
- Em → G: 18%
- Em → D: 17%
After D, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).- D → G: 29%
- D → Em: 17%