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Bob Dylan - Lay, Lady, Lay Chords

ChordsG, Bm, F, Am, D, Em, C
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

GBmFAmGBmFAm
GLay,lady,Bmlay,
FlayacrossmyAmbigbrassGBedBmFAm
GLay,lady,Bmlay,
FlayacrossmyAmbigbrassGBedBmFAm
DWhateverEmcolorsyouhaveGinyourmind
DI’llshowthemEmtoyouandyou’llGseethemshine
GLay,lady,Bmlay,
FlayacrossmyAmbigbrassGBedBmFAm
GStay,lady,Bmstay,
FstaywithyourAmmanawhileGBmFAm
GUntilthebreakofBmday,
FletmeseeyouAmmakehimsmileGBmFAm
DHisclothesareEmdirtybuthisGhandsareclean
DAndyou’retheEmbestthingthathe’sGeverseen
GStay,lady,Bmstay,FstaywithyourAmmanawhileGBmFAm
BmWhywaitanylongerfortheGworldtobegin
BmYoucanhaveyourcakeandeatitGtoo
BmWhywaitanylongerfortheGoneyoulove
Whenhe’sBmstandinginfrontofAmyouD
GLay,lady,Bmlay,FlayacrossmyAmbigbrassGbedBmFAm
GStay,lady,Bmstay,FstaywhiletheAmnightisstill GaheadBmFAm
DIlongtoEmseeyouintheGmorninglight
DIlongtoEmreachforyouGinthenight
GStay,lady,Bmstay,FstaywhiletheAmnightisstill GaheadBmFAm
GBmFAmGAmBmCG
ArtistBob Dylan
AlbumNashville Skyline
Year1969
KeyG
DifficultyAdvanced

How to play Lay, Lady, Lay on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Bob Dylan - Lay, Lady, Lay on guitar requires 7 chords and 11 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.

Lay, Lady, Lay uses these transitions most often: G → Bm (24), Bm → F (21), and F → Am (21). 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 - Bm chord transition.

1. G → Bm chord transition

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 intro, played 24 times.

G to Bm

2. Bm → F chord transition

Here's how to move 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 intro, played 21 times.

Bm to F

3. F → Am chord transition

Switching from F to Am:

  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. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the intro, played 21 times.

F to Am

4. Am → G chord transition

Here's how to move from Am 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 G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the intro, played 17 times.

Am to G

5. Am → D chord transition

Here's how to move from Am 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 G string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

6. D → Em chord transition

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 6 times.

7. Em → G chord transition

To move from Em to G:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

8. 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 3 times.

9. Am → Bm chord transition

Switching from Am to Bm:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

10. Bm → C chord transition

Here's how to move from Bm to C:

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

This transition appears in the outro.

11. C → G chord transition

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.

This transition appears in the outro.

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

  • Lay, Lady, Lay includes 112 chord transitions, 11 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Lay, Lady, Lay contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Lay, Lady, Lay 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 → D: 24%
    • G → Am: 13%
    After Bm, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (25%), A (19%), and Em (13%).
    • Bm → G: 25%
    • Bm → C: 12%