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The Killers - I Can’t Stay Chords

ChordsA, F#m, G, B, E, D, Bm, F, Gm, C
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

ATheemotionitwasF#melectric,GandthestarstheyallBaligned.
EIknewIhadtomakemyAdecision,GbutInevermadetheDtime.
GNo,InevermadetheDtime.A
IntheAdark,foraEwhilenow,Ican’tF#mstay,soDfar.
Ican’tAstay,muchF#mlonger,GridingmyBmdecisionFhome.A
AExonerationlosthisF#meraser,GbutmyforgiverfoundtheBsun.
EAndtherearetwisteddaysthatIAtakeGmcomfort,G’causeI’mnottheonlyDone.
GNo,I’mnottheonlyDone.A
IntheAdark,foraEwhilenow,Ican’tF#mstay,veryDfar.
Ican’tAstay,muchF#mlonger,GridingmyBmdecisionFhome.A
FThereisamajestyatCmydoorstep,FthereisalittleboyCinherarms.
FNowwe’llparadearoundwithCoutgameplans,Fobligations,orEalarm.
IntheAdark,foraEwhilenow,Ican’tF#mstay,soDfar.
Ican’tAstay,muchF#mlonger,GridingmyBmdecisionFhome.
IntheAdark,foraEwhilenow,Ican’tF#mstay,soDfar.
Ican’tAstay,muchF#mlonger,GridingmyBmdecisionFhome.
IntheAdark.EF#mDA
AlbumDay & Age
Year2008
KeyA
DifficultyAdvanced

How to play I Can't Stay on Guitar (Step-by-step)

The Killers - I Can't Stay on guitar requires 10 chords and 17 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.

I Can't Stay uses these transitions most often: D → A (7), A → F#m (6), and F#m → G (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 A - F#m chord transition.

1. A → F#m chord transition

To move from A to F#m:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

A to F#m

2. F#m → G chord transition

To move from F#m to G:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

F#m to G

3. G → B chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

G to B

4. 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

B to E

5. E → A chord transition

Here's how to move from E to A:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

6. A → G chord transition

Switching from A to G:

  1. Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 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 2 and place it on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse.

7. G → D chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

8. D → A chord transition

Switching from D to A:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 7 times.

9. E → F#m chord transition

Switching from E to F#m:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 5 times.

10. F#m → D chord transition

To move from F#m to D:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 5 times.

11. G → Bm chord transition

Here's how to move from G to Bm:

  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 B string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on G string fret 4.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

12. Bm → F chord transition

Switching from Bm to F:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

13. F → A chord transition

To move from F to A:

  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 D string fret 2.
  3. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  4. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to B string fret 2.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

14. A → Gm chord transition

Switching from A to Gm:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

15. Gm → G chord transition

Switching from Gm to G:

  1. While playing Gm, lift your pinky from E string fret 3.
  2. Slide your index finger on A string from fret 1 to fret 2.
  3. Keep middle finger on E string fret 3.
  4. Slide your ring finger from B string fret 3 to E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse.

16. F → C chord transition

Here's how 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 3 times.

17. F → E chord transition

Switching from F to E:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in I Can't Stay.

  • I Can't Stay includes 70 chord transitions, 17 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • I Can't Stay contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how I Can't Stay 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 → G: 13%
    • A → E: 12%
    After F#m, the most likely next chords across Chordier are D (21%), A (18%), and E (14%).
    • F#m → D: 21%
    • F#m → G: 10%