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Elvis Costello - Good Year For The Roses Chords

ChordsA, D, E, Bm
Strumming↓↑-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

  • Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
  • Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram
  • Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram


[A]
I can [A]hardly bear the sight of lipstick on the ciga[D]rettes there in the [A]ashtray
Lying [A]cold the way you left ’em, but at least your lips ca[D]ressed them [A]while you packed
Or the [D]lip-print on a half-filled cup of coffee that you poured and didn’t [A]drink
But at [E]least you thought you wanted it, that’s so much more than I can say [A]for me


What a good year for the [D]roses, [E]many blooms still [A]linger there
The lawn could stand another [Bm]mowing, [E]funny I don’t even [A]care
As you turn to walk a[D]way, [E]as the door behind you [D]clo[A]ses
The only thing I have to [Bm]say, [E]it’s been a good year for the [A]roses [D] [A] [E] [A]
Intro
After [A]three full years of marriage, it’s the first time that you [D]haven’t [A]made the bed
I guess the [A]reason we’re not talking, there’s so little left to say [D]we haven’t [A]said
While a [D]million thoughts go racing through my mind, I find I haven’t said a [A]word
From the [E]bedroom the familiar sound of a baby’s crying [A]goes unheard
What a good year for the [D]roses, [E]many blooms still [A]linger there
The lawn could stand another [Bm]mowing, [E]funny I don’t even [A]care
As you turn to walk a[D]way, [E]as the door behind you [D]clo[A]ses
The only thing I have to [Bm]say, [E]it’s been a good year for the [A]roses [D] [A] [E] [A]

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AlbumAlmost Blue
GenresPunk
Year1981
KeyA

How to play Good Year For The Roses on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Elvis Costello - Good Year For The Roses on guitar requires 4 chords and 5 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.

Good Year For The Roses uses these transitions most often: A → D (12), D → A (10), and E → A (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 A - D chord transition.

1. A → D chord transition

To move from A to D;

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

2. A → E chord transition

To move from A to E;

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

3. D → E chord transition

To move from D to E;

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

4. A → Bm chord transition

To move from A to Bm;

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

5. Bm → E chord transition

To move from Bm to E;

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

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Good Year For The Roses.

  • Good Year For The Roses includes 50 chord transitions, 5 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.01% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Good Year For The Roses contains 1 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Good Year For The Roses 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 → E: 12%
    After D, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).
    • D → A: 17%
    • D → E: 3%