Pogues - Dirty Old Town Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
Guitar D chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar Bm chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar Am chord diagram
[Opening]
[D] [G] [D] [Em] [Bm]
I met my [G]love, by the gas works wall, dreamed a [C]dream, by the old [G]canal
I kissed my girl, by the factory wall, dirty old [D]town, dirty old [Em]town
Clouds are [G]drifting across the moon, cats are [C]prowling on their [G]beats
Springs a girl from the streets at night, dirty old [D]town, dirty old [Em]town
[verse 2]
[C] [C] [C] [C] [F] [F] [C] [C] [C] [C] [C] [C] [G] [G] [Am]
I heard a [G]siren from the dock, saw a [C]train set the night on [G]fire
I smelled the spring on the smokey wind, dirty old [D]town, dirty old [Em]town
I’m going to [G]make me a big sharp axe, shining [C]steel tempered in the [G]fire
I’ll chop you down like an old dead tree, dirty old [D]town, dirty old [Em]town
[Closing]
I met my [G]love, by the gas works wall, dreamed a [C]dream, by the old [G]canal
I kissed my girl, by the factory wall, dirty old [D]town, dirty old [Em]town
Dirty old [D]town, dirty old [Em]town
How to play Dirty Old Town on Guitar (Step-by-step)
The Pogues - Dirty Old Town on guitar requires 7 chords and 9 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.
Dirty Old Town uses these transitions most often: D → Em (7), C → G (6), and G → D (6). 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 D - G chord transition.
1. 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.
2. D → Em chord transition
To move from D to Em;
- While playing D, lift your index finger from G string fret 2.
- Lift your middle finger from E string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from B string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
3. Em → Bm chord transition
To move from Em to Bm;
- Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 3.
- Slide your ring finger on D string from fret 2 to fret 4.
- Place index finger on E string fret 2.
- Place pinky on G string fret 4.
4. Bm → G chord transition
To move from Bm to G;
- While playing Bm, lift your pinky from G 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 B string fret 3 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from D string fret 4 and place it on E string fret 3.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Em → C chord transition
To move from Em to C;
- Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 3.
- Place index finger on B string fret 1.
8. C → F chord transition
To move from C to F;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
- Place pinky on D string fret 3.
9. 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.
Dirty Old Town chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Dirty Old Town.
- Dirty Old Town includes 36 chord transitions, 9 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.01% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- Dirty Old Town contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how Dirty Old Town 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 G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).- G → C: 25%
- G → D: 24%