Noah Kahan - Mess Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow. Using the Transpose tool, switch to G,A,D keys to play this song with easier chords.
Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar Gm chord diagram
Guitar D# | E♭ chord diagram
[Opening]
[Bb] [F] [Bb]
If I could [Bb]give this all back, I would be home in the [F]morning [Gm]
I’d wake up in a cold sweat, [Gm]take a flight back to the city I was [F]born in [Bb]
[Bb]And I would wipe myself clean, of what I knew was [F]unimportant [Gm]
I’d want typical things, I’d try to fit back into all my old [F]clothing
[chorus]
[Eb]And I would prove myself wrong, that [Gm]all along, the problem was me[F]
[F]With all my bitterness gone, happy, I’d be
[verse 2]
[Bb]I’ll move back home forever, I’ll feed the dogs and I’ll put all
[Eb]My pieces back together where they belong, and I’ll say, [Gm]”I’m a mess, [F]I’m a mess
Oh [Bb]God, I’m a mess” [Eb]and [Bb]I’ll take 89 to Boston
See my love and I’ll help her, [Eb]set up her new apartment
And we’ll get drunk and she’ll say, [Gm]”shit, you’re a mess, [F]you’re a mess
Good [Bb]God, you’re a mess [Eb] [Gm]oh, you’re a mess, [F]you’re a mess, good [Bb]God”
[verse 3]
[Bb]So I paid off my debts but I found the world [F]boring [Gm]
So I called my old friends but they only ever ask me how [F]tour is [Bb]
And there’s still weight on my back, I just [Eb]try to [F]ignore it [Gm]
I guess the stage was my mask, I forgot the way I looked before I [F]wore it
[chorus]
[Eb]And I would prove myself wrong, that [Gm]all along, the problem was me[F]
[F]With all my bitterness gone, happy, I’ll be
[verse 4]
[Bb]I’ll move back home forever, I’ll feed the dogs and I’ll put all
[Eb]My pieces back together where they belong, and I’ll say, [Gm]”I’m a mess, [F]I’m a mess
Oh [Bb]God, I’m a mess” [Eb]and [Bb]I’ll take 89 to Boston
See my love and I’ll help her, [Eb]set up her new apartment
And we’ll get drunk and she’ll say, [Gm]”shit, you’re a mess, [F]you’re a mess
Good [Bb]God, you’re a mess [Eb] [Gm]oh, you’re a mess, [F]you’re a mess”
That’s [Eb]not what I had hoped, now I find comfort in the cold
[verse 5]
[Bb]I’ll move back home forever, I’ll feed the dogs and I’ll put all
[Eb]My pieces back together where they belong, and I’ll say, [Gm]”I’m a mess, [F]I’m a mess
Oh [Bb]God, I’m a mess” [Eb]and [Bb]I’ll take 89 to Boston
See my love and I’ll help her, [Eb]set up her new apartment
[Closing]
And we’ll get drunk and she’ll say, [Gm]”shit, you’re a mess, [F]you’re a mess
Good [Bb]God, you’re a mess [Eb]
[Gm]Oh, you’re a mess, [F]you’re a mess. Good [Bb]God”
How to play Mess on Guitar (Step-by-step)
Noah Kahan - Mess 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.
Mess uses these transitions most often: Gm → F (15), Bb → Eb (13), and F → Bb (13). 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 Bb - F chord transition.
1. Bb → F chord transition
To move from Bb to F;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 3 to G string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from G string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
- Slide your pinky from B string fret 3 to D string fret 3.
2. F → Gm chord transition
To move from F to Gm;
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.
- Slide your pinky from D string fret 3 to E string fret 3.
3. F → Eb chord transition
To move from F to Eb;
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 3.
- Slide your pinky from D string fret 3 to B string fret 4.
4. Eb → Gm chord transition
To move from Eb to Gm;
- Lift your index finger from D string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from G string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.
- Slide your pinky from B string fret 4 to E string fret 3.
5. Bb → Eb chord transition
To move from Bb to Eb;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 3 to E string fret 3.
- Keep ring finger on G string fret 3.
- Slide your pinky on B string from fret 3 to fret 4.
Mess chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Mess.
- Mess includes 68 chord transitions, 5 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- Mess contains 1 of the top 25 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how Mess connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After F, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (40%), G (21%), and Am (11%).
- F → Bb: 5%
- F → Gm: 1%
After Bb, the most likely next chords across Chordier are F (34%), C (20%), and Dm (9%).- Bb → F: 34%
- Bb → Eb: 5%