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Elton John - Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me Chords

ChordsC, Bb, Am, F, G, D7, Dm
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

CBbAmFCF
GIcan’tlightnomoreofFyourCdarkness
FAllmypictures,seemtofadetoblackandGwhite
GI’mgrowingtired,andtimestandsstillFbeforeCme
FFrozenhere,ontheladderofmyGlife
GIt’smuchtoolatetosavemyselfFfromCfalling
FItookachanceandchangedyourwayofGlife
GButyoumisreadmymeaningFwhenICmetyou
FClosedthedoorandleftmeCblindedmebytheGlight
CDon’tletthesungodownonme
AmAlthoughIsearchmyself,it’salwaysD7someoneelseIsee
CI’djustallowafragmentofyourDmlifetowanderCfreeBb
ButAmlosing FeverythingisliketheDmsungoingFdownonCme
CBbAmCF
GIcan’tfind,oh,theright FromanticCline
FButseemeonce,andseethewayGfeel
GDon’tdiscardme,babydon’tjust FbecauseyouthinkImeanyouCharm
FButthesecutsIhave,theyCneedlovetohelpthemGheal
COhdon’tletthesungodownonme
AmAlthoughIsearchmyself,it’salwaysD7someoneelseIsee
CI’djustallowafragmentofyourDmlifetowanderCfreeBb
ButFlosingeverythingisliketheDmsunCgoingFdownonCme
CBbAmCF
COhdon’tletthesungodownonme
AmAlthoughIsearchmyself,it’salwaysD7someoneelseIsee
CI’djustallowafragmentofyourDmlifetowanderCfree
ButFlosingeverythingisliketheDmsunCgoingFdownonCme
CBbAmCF
AlbumCaribou
GenresRock
Year1974
KeyG
DifficultyAdvanced

How to play Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Elton John - Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me on guitar requires 7 chords and 13 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.

Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me uses these transitions most often: C → F (13), F → C (13), and C → Bb (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 C - Bb chord transition.

1. C → Bb chord transition

Switching from C to Bb:

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger on D string from fret 2 to fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A 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 6 times.

C to Bb

2. Bb → Am chord transition

Here's how to move from Bb to Am:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

Bb to Am

3. Am → F chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

Am to F

4. F → C chord transition

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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 13 times.

F to C

5. F → G chord transition

Switching from F to G:

  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 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

6. C → G chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

7. C → Am chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

8. Am → D7 chord transition

To move from Am to D7:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

9. D7 → C chord transition

Here's how to move from D7 to C:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

10. 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 chorus, played 3 times.

11. Dm → G chord transition

To move from Dm to G:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 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 chorus, played 3 times.

13. Bb → F chord transition

Switching from Bb to F:

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

This transition appears in the chorus.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me.

  • Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me includes 83 chord transitions, 13 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me contains 4 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me 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 → G: 21%