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Duran Duran - Rio Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsEm, C, A, A7, E, B, D, C#m, F#
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

  • Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
  • Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
  • Guitar A7 chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-0-2-0Guitar A7 chord diagram
  • Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram
  • Guitar B chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-4-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar B chord diagram
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
  • Guitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram Fingering: x-4-2-1-2-xGuitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram
  • Guitar F# | G♭ chord diagram Fingering: 2-4-4-3-2-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar F# | G♭ chord diagram

[Opening]
[Em] [C] [A] [C]
[Em]Moving on the [C]floor now babe you’re a [A7]bird of parad[C]ise
[Em]Cherry ice cream [C]smile I supp[A7]ose it’s very nice [C]
With a [Em]step to your left and a [C]flick to the right
you [A7]catch that mirror way out [C]west
[Em]You know you’re [C]something special and you [A]look like you’re the [C]best
[E]Her name is [B]Rio and she [D]dances on the [A]sand
[E]Just like that [B]river twisting [D]through a dusty [A]land
[E]And when she [B]shines she really [D]shows you all she [A]can
[E]Oh Rio, [B]Rio dance [D]across the Rio [A]Grande

[interlude]
[Em] [C] [A7] [C]

[verse 2]
[Em]I’ve seen you on the [C]beach and I’ve [A7]seen you on [C]TV
[Em]Two of a [C]billion [A7]stars it [C]means so [Em]much to me
[C]Like a birthday or a pretty [C]view
[Em]But then I’m [C]sure that [A]you know it’s just for [C]you
[E]Her name is [B]Rio and she [D]dances on the [A]sand
[E]Just like that [B]river twisting [D]through a dusty [A]land
[E]And when she [B]shines she really [D]shows you all she [A]can
[E]Oh Rio, [B]Rio dance [D]across the Rio [A]Grande

[interlude]
[C#m] [A] [F#] [A]

[verse 3]
[Em]Hey now [C]woo look at that did she [A7]nearly run you [C]down
[Em]At the end of the drive [C]the lawmen arrive
You [A7]make me feel [C]alive, alive [Em]alive
[C]I’ll take my [A7]chance [C]‘cause luck is on my [Em]side or something
I [C]know what you’re thinking I [A]tell you something I [C]know what you’re thinking
[E]Her name is [B]Rio and she [D]dances on the [A]sand
[E]Just like that [B]river twisting [D]across a dusty [A]land
[E]And when she [B]shines she really [D]shows you all she [A]can
[E]Oh Rio, [B]Rio dance [D]across the Rio [A]Grande
[E]Her name is [B]Rio she don’t [D]need to under[A]stand
[E]And I might [B]find her if I’m looking [D]like I [A]can
[E]Oh Rio, Rio [B]hear them [D]shout across the [A]land
[E]From mountains [B]in the north [D]down to the Rio [A]Grande

[interlude]
[E] [B] [D] [A]

[Closing]
[E]Do do do do do do do [B]do do do do do
[D]do do do do do do do [A]do do do do do

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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.
ArtistDuran Duran
AlbumRio
GenresAlternative, Rock
Year1982
KeyEm

How to play Rio on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Duran Duran - Rio on guitar requires 9 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.

Rio uses these transitions most often: B → D (18), D → A (18), and E → B (18). 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 Em - C chord transition.

1. Em → C chord transition

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

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.
Em to C

2. C → A chord transition

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

To move from C to A;

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

3. C → A7 chord transition

Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar A7 chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-0-2-0Guitar A7 chord diagram

To move from C to A7;

  1. While playing C, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to B string fret 2.
C to A7

4. C → E chord transition

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

To move from C to E;

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

5. E → B chord transition

To move from E to B;

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

6. B → D chord transition

To move from B to D;

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

7. D → A chord transition

To move 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.

8. A → E chord transition

To move from A to E;

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

9. A → Em chord transition

To move from A to Em;

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

10. A → C#m chord transition

To move from A to C#m;

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

11. A → F# chord transition

To move from A to F#;

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

Rio chord transition analysis

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

  • Rio includes 129 chord transitions, 11 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Rio contains 2 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Rio connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → Em: 8%
    • C → A: 1%
    After A, the most likely next chords across Chordier are D (29%), G (13%), and E (12%).
    • A → E: 12%
    • A → Em: 7%
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.