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Ruel - Don’t Tell Me Chords

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

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

  • Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
  • 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
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram

[Opening]
[Am]Save your breath, my [Em]brother, it’s not going [Am]in
I’m not your [Em]disciple, I choose how I [G]sin
[Am]I’ve got a distant [Em]memory of previous lives
[C]So [Am]don’t say I’m not [Em]ready, back off with those [C]knives

[chorus]
[Am]You don’t know me like you [Em]used to, [D]you can leave, but I [C]refuse to
[Am]You can tell me that I’m [Em]crazy, [G]but I won’t stop and this won’t make me

[chorus]
[Am]Ooo who ooo who, oh o oh, [C]don’t [Em]tell [G]me I’m not ready
[Am]Ooo who ooo who, oh o oh, [C]don’t [Em]tell [G]me I’m not ready
[Am] [Em] [C]For love, [Am]for love

[verse 2]
I don’t feel [Em]connected to all of your [C]lies
[Am]But you can do a [Em]kindness and look me in the [C]eyes
[Am]My soul’s [Em]resurrected, yeah, it’s been there [C]before
[Am]So don’t say I’m not [Em]ready till I fall on my [C]soul

[chorus]
[Am]You don’t know me like you [Em]used to, [D]you can leave, but I [C]refuse to
[Am]You can tell me that I’m [Em]crazy, [G]but I won’t stop and this won’t make me

[chorus]
[Am]Ooo who ooo who, oh o oh, [C]don’t [Em]tell [G]me I’m not ready
[Am]Ooo who ooo who, oh o oh, [C]don’t [Em]tell [G]me I’m not ready
[Am] [Em] [C]For love, [Am]for love

[Closing]
[Am]The course that you have set for me, [C]the shadows you cast over me
[Em]The road is getting hard to see, [G]but I’m gonna make it through
[Am]Horizons that are outta sight, [C]lost behind the fading light
[Em]I’m ready for what’s coming, and they best be ready too

[chorus]
[Am]Ooo who ooo who, oh o oh, [C]don’t [Em]tell [G]me I’m not ready
[Am]Ooo who ooo who, oh o oh, [C]don’t [Em]tell [G]me I’m not ready
[Am] [Em] [C]For love, [Am]for love

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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.
ArtistRuel
AlbumReady
GenresPop
Year2018
KeyAm

How to play Don't Tell Me on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Ruel - Don't Tell Me on guitar requires 5 chords and 7 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.

Don't Tell Me uses these transitions most often: Am → Em (15), C → Am (11), and Em → G (10). 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

Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram

To move from Am to Em;

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

2. Em → G chord transition

Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram

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.
Em to G

3. G → Am chord transition

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

To move from G to Am;

  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 G string fret 2.
G to Am

4. 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

5. C → Am chord transition

To move from C to Am;

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

6. Em → D chord transition

To move from Em to D;

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

7. D → C chord transition

To move from D to C;

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

Don't Tell Me chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Don't Tell Me.

  • Don't Tell Me includes 77 chord transitions, 7 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Don't Tell Me contains 4 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Don't Tell Me connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After Am, the most likely next chords across Chordier are F (26%), G (21%), and C (16%).
    • Am → C: 16%
    • Am → Em: 10%
    After Em, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (26%), G (18%), and D (17%).
    • Em → C: 26%
    • Em → G: 18%
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.