Skip to song content
Chordier homepage
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?The 100 most repeated chord transitions extracted from thousands of songs. Even the first 10 will transform your guitar practice routine.

Gordon Lightfoot - If You Could Read My Mind Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsG, F, C, D, Em, Am7
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

GIfyoucouldreadmymindlove,Fwhatatalemythoughtscouldtell
GJustlikeanoldtimemovie,Faboutaghostfromawishingwell
GInacastledarkoraCfortressstrong
WithDchainsuponmyEmfeetyouCknowthatghostisGme
AndCIwillneverGbesetfree
AsAm7longasI’maDghostthatyoucan’tGsee
GIfIcouldreadyourmindlove,Fwhatataleyourthoughtscouldtell
GJustlikeapaperbacknovel,theFkindthatdrugstoressell
GWhenyoureachthepartCwheretheheartachescome
TheDherowouldbeEmmebutCheroesoftenGfail
AndCyouwon’treadthatGbookagain
Am7becausetheending’sDjusttoohardtoGtake
G7I’dwalkawaylikeaCmoviestar,
whogetsDburnedinathreewayEmscript
CEnternumberGtwo:aCmoviequeentoGplaythescene
OfAm7bringingalltheDgoodthingsoutinGme,
Cbutfornowlove,let’sbeGreal
ICneverthoughtIcouldGactthisway,
andI’veAm7gottosaythatIDjustdon’tgetit
CIdon’tknowwhereGwewentwrong,
ButtheAm7feeling’sgoneandIDjustcan’tgetitGback
GIfyoucouldreadmymindlove,Fwhatatalemythoughtscouldtell
GJustlikeanoldtimemovie,Faboutaghostfromawishingwell
GInacastledarkoraCfortressstrongwithDchainsuponmyEmfeet
ButCstoriesalwaysGend.AndCifyouread Gbetweenthelines
You’llAm7knowthatI’mjustDtryingto Gunderstand
theCfeelingsthatyouGlack
CIneverthoughtIcouldGfeelthisway,
andI’veAm7gottosaythatIDjustdon’tgetit
CIdon’tknowwhereGwewentwrongAm7butthefeeling’sgone
AndIDjustcan’tgetitGback
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.
ArtistGordon Lightfoot
AlbumSit Down Young Stranger
GenresFolk
Year1970
KeyG
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play If You Could Read My Mind on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Gordon Lightfoot - If You Could Read My Mind on guitar requires 6 chords and 8 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.

If You Could Read My Mind uses these transitions most often: C → G (14), G → C (12), and Am7 → D (8). 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 G - F chord transition.

1. G → F chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram

Switching from G to F:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

G to F

2. G → C chord transition

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

Switching from G to C:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 12 times.

G to C

3. C → D chord transition

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

Switching from C to D:

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E 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 verse, played 4 times.

C 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

D to Em

5. Em → C chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

6. G → Am7 chord transition

Here's how to move from G to Am7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 8 times.

7. Am7 → D chord transition

Here's how to move from Am7 to D:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 8 times.

8. D → G chord transition

Here's how to move from D to G:

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E 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 verse, played 6 times.

If You Could Read My Mind chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in If You Could Read My Mind.

  • If You Could Read My Mind includes 74 chord transitions, 8 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • If You Could Read My Mind contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how If You Could Read My Mind 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 → F: 9%
    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.