John Hiatt - Perfectly Good Guitar Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
Guitar Am chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar D chord diagram
[Opening]
[Am] [Em] [G] [C] [D] [Em] [Am] [Em] [D] [G] [C] [D] [Em] [D] [Em] [D] [Em]
Well he [Em]threw one down from the [G]top of the stairs, [Am]beautiful women were [C]standing every[D]where
They [Em]all got wet when he [G]smashed that thing , but [Am]off in the dark you could [D]hear somebody [G]sing
Oh it [Am]breaks my heart to [Em]see those stars, [G]smashing a [C]perfectly [D]good guitar [Em]
I [Am]don’t know who they [Em]think they [D]are, [G]smashing a [C]perfectly [D]good guitar [Em]
[verse 2]
[Em] [D] [Em] [Em] [D] [Em]
It [Em]started back in [G]1963, his [Am]momma wouldn’t buy him that [C]new red harmony [D]
He [Em]settled for a [G]sunburst with a crack, but [Am]he’s still trying to [D]break his momma’s [G]back
Oh it [Am]breaks my heart to [Em]see those stars, [G]smashing a [C]perfectly [D]good guitar [Em]
I [Am]don’t know who they [Em]think they [D]are, [G]smashing a [C]perfectly [D]good guitar [Em]
[verse 3]
[Em] [D] [Em] [Em] [D] [Em]
He [Em]loved that guitar just [G]like a girlfriend, but [Am]every good thing [C]comes to an [D]end
Now he just sits in his [G]room all day, [Am]whistling every [D]note he ever [G]played
[verse 4]
[Am] [Em] [G] [C] [D] [Em] [Am] [Em] [D] [G] [C] [D]
[Em] [D] [Em] [Em] [D] [Em]
There [Em]ought to be a law [G]with no bail, [Am]smash a guitar and you [C]go to [D]jail
[Em]With no chance for [G]early parole, you [Am]don’t get out until you [D]get some [G]soul
Oh it [Am]breaks my heart to [Em]see those stars, [G]smashing a [C]perfectly [D]good guitar [Em]
I [Am]don’t know who they [Em]think they [D]are, [G]smashing a [C]perfectly [D]good guitar [Em]
[Closing]
[Em] [D] [Em] [Em] [D] [Em]
[Em]Late at night the [G]end of the road, he [Am]wishes he still had that [C]old guitar to [D]hold
He’d [Em]rock it like a [G]baby in his arms, [Am]never let it [D]come to any [G]harm
Oh it [Am]breaks my heart to [Em]see those stars, [G]smashing a [C]perfectly [D]good [Em]guitar
I [Am]don’t know who they [Em]think they [D]are, [G]smashing a [C]perfectly [D]good, good, [Em]guitar
[outro]
[Em] [D] [Em] [Em] [D] [Em] [Em] [D] [Em] [Em] [D] [Em]
How to play Perfectly Good Guitar on Guitar (Step-by-step)
John Hiatt - Perfectly Good Guitar on guitar requires 5 chords and 9 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.
Perfectly Good Guitar uses these transitions most often: D → Em (30), Em → D (20), and C → D (17). 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 Am - Em chord transition.
1. Am → Em chord transition
To move from Am to Em;
- While playing Am, lift your index finger from B string fret 1.
- Lift your middle finger from D string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
2. Em → G chord transition
To move from Em to G;
- Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 3.
- Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Place index finger on A string fret 2.
3. G → C chord transition
To move from G to C;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
4. C → D chord transition
To move from C to D;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.
5. D → Em chord transition
To move from D to Em;
- While playing D, lift your index finger from G string fret 2.
- Lift your middle finger from E string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from B string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
6. D → G chord transition
To move from D to G;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
7. G → Am chord transition
To move from G to Am;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
8. Am → C chord transition
To move from Am to C;
- Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
9. Am → D chord transition
To move from Am to D;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 3.
Perfectly Good Guitar chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Perfectly Good Guitar.
- Perfectly Good Guitar includes 149 chord transitions, 9 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- Perfectly Good Guitar contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how Perfectly Good Guitar connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After Em, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (26%), G (18%), and D (17%).
- Em → G: 18%
- Em → D: 17%
After D, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).- D → G: 29%
- D → Em: 17%