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14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?The 100 most repeated chord transitions extracted from thousands of songs. Even the first 10 will transform your guitar practice routine.

The Killers - Smile Like You Mean It Chords

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

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

GAmEm
GSavesomeface,AmyouEmknowyou’veonlygotone,GchangeyourwaysAmwhileyou’reEmyoung
GBoy,Amonedayyou’llEmbeaman,Gohgirl,Amhe’llhelpyouEmunderstand
GSmilelikeyouCmeanit.GSmileDlikeGyouCmeanitGD
GLookingbackAmat EmsunsetsontheEastside,GwelosttrackAmofthetimeEm
GDreamsAmaren’twhattheyEmusedtobe,GsomethingsAmsatbysoEmcarelessly
GSmilelikeyouCmeanit.GSmileDlikeGyouCmeanitGD
DEmCDEmC
AndAmsomeoneiscallingmyname,fromthebackEmoftherestaurant
AndAmsomeoneisplayingagame,inthehouseEmthatIgrewupin
AndAmsomeonewilldriveheraround,downthesameBmstreetsthatIdid
OnthesameCstreetsthatIdidD
GSmilelikeyouCmeanit.GSmileDlikeGyouCmeanitGD
GSmilelikeyouCmeanit.GSmileDlikeGyouCmeanitGD
OhNonoGAmEm
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.
ArtistThe Killers
AlbumHot Fuss
GenresAlternative, Indie, Rock
Year2004
KeyG
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play Smile Like You Mean It on Guitar (Step-by-step)

The Killers - Smile Like You Mean It on guitar requires 6 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.

Smile Like You Mean It uses these transitions most often: Am → Em (12), G → Am (10), and Em → G (9). 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 - Am chord transition.

1. 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

G to Am

2. 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

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 12 times.

Am to Em

3. 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

Switching 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 9 times.

Em to G

4. G → C chord transition

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

To move from G to C:

  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 A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 8 times.

G to C

5. 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 chorus, played 8 times.

6. D → Em chord transition

Switching 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 2 times.

7. Em → C chord transition

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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

8. C → D chord transition

To move from C 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 A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

9. C → Am chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse.

10. 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.

11. Bm → C chord transition

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 verse.

Smile Like You Mean It chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Smile Like You Mean It.

  • Smile Like You Mean It includes 74 chord transitions, 11 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Smile Like You Mean It contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Smile Like You Mean It 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 → C: 25%
    • G → D: 24%
    After Em, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (26%), G (18%), and D (18%).
    • 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.