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Green Day - Holiday Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsEm, C, G, D, B, E, A
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

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

[Opening]
[Em] [C] [G] [D]
[Em]Hear the [C]sound of the [G]falling [D]rain
[Em]Coming [C]down like an [G]Arma[B]geddon [Em]flame (Hey!)
The [C]shame, the [G]ones who [D]died with[B]out a name
[Em]Hear the [C]dogs howling [G]out of [D]key
[Em]To a [C]hymn called “[G]Faith and [B]Mise[Em]ry” (Hey!)
And [C]bleed, the [G]company [D]lost the [B]war today

[chorus]
[Em]I beg to [C]dream and differ [G]from the hollow [D]lies.
[Em]This is the [C]dawning of the [G]rest of our l[B]ives.
On [Em]holiday… [C] [G] [D] [Em] [C] [G] [D]

[verse 2]
[Em]Hear the [C]drum pounding [G]out of [D]time
[Em]Another [C]protestor has [G]cros[B]sed the [Em]line (Hey!)
To [C]find, the [G]money’s on [D]the other [B]side
[Em]Can I get [C]another [G]Amen? [D](Amen!)
[Em]There’s [C]a flag wrap[G]ped around [B]a [Em]score of men (Hey!)
A gag, [C]a [G]plastic bag on [D]a [B]monument

[chorus]
[Em]I beg to [C]dream and differ [G]from the hollow [D]lies
[Em]This is the [C]dawning of the [G]rest of our l[B]ives
On holiday

[Closing]
[C] [G] [B] [Em] [D] [C] [G] [B] [B] [B] [B]
[E] [G] [C] [A] [D] [B] [E] [G] [D] [B] [E]
[E]Zieg [G]Heil to the [C]presi[A]dent [D]gas [B]man
[E]Bombs [G]away is your [D]punish[B] [E]ment
[E] [G]Pulverize the [C] [A]Eiffel [D]towers [B]
[E]Who [G]criticize your [D]go[B]vern[E]ment
[E]Bang [G]bang goes the [C]broken [A] [D]glass [B]and
[E]Kill all the [G]fags that [D]don’t [B] [E]agree
[E]Trials by [G]fire, [C] [A]setting [D] [B]fire
[E]Is not a [G]way that’s [D]meant [B]for [E]me
[B]Just cause, just cause, because we’re outlaws yeah!

[chorus]
[Em]I beg to [C]dream and differ [G]from the hollow [D]lies.
[Em]This is the [C]dawning of the [G]rest of our l[B]ives.
[Em]I beg to [C]dream and differ [G]from the hollow [D]lies.
[Em]This is the [C]dawning of the [G]rest of our l[B]ives.
This is our lives on [Em]holiday… [C] [G] [D]

[outro]
[Em] [C] [G] [D] [Em] [C] [G] [D] [Em] [C] [D] [B] [E]

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SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
ArtistGreen Day
AlbumAmerican Idiot
GenresAlternative, Indie, Punk
Year2004
KeyEm

How to play Holiday on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Green Day - Holiday 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.

Holiday uses these transitions most often: C → G (28), Em → C (27), and G → D (23). 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 - C chord transition.

1. Em → C chord transition

Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram

To move from Em to C;

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

2. C → G chord transition

Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram

To move 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.
C to G

3. G → D chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram

To move from G to D;

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

4. D → Em chord transition

Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram

To move from D to Em;

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

5. G → B chord transition

To move from G to B;

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

6. B → Em chord transition

To move from B to Em;

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

7. D → B chord transition

To move from D to B;

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

8. B → C chord transition

To move from B to C;

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

9. D → C chord transition

To move from D to C;

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

10. B → E chord transition

To move from B to E;

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

11. E → G chord transition

To move from E to G;

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

12. C → A chord transition

To move from C to A;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 2.
  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 2.

13. 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.

Holiday chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Holiday.

  • Holiday includes 172 chord transitions, 13 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.05% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Holiday contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Holiday connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → C: 25%
    • G → D: 24%
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → D: 11%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.