Skip to song content
Chordier homepage
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.

Dave Van Ronk - Sporting Life Blues Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsC7, F, F7, Bb, Bbm, C
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow. Using the Transpose tool, switch to E key to play this song with easier chords.

C7IgotaFletterfrommyF7home
MostofmyBbgoodfriendsaredeadandBbmgone
It’llmakeyouFworry
It’llmakeyouCwonderaboutdaystoFcomeBbFC7
MymotherFusedtosaytoF7me
SoyoungandBbfoolishandIcouldnotBbmsee
IhavenoFmother
MysistersandCbrotherswon’ttalktoFmeBbFC7
SheusedtoFfallonherkneesandF7pray
ThesearetheBbverywordssheusedtoBbmsay
Shesaid,ohFJohnny
MypreciousCJohnny,pleasechangeyourFwaysBbFC7
I’mgetting’Ftiredofrunnin’F7around
ThinkI’llgetBbmarriedandsettleBbmdown
ThisoleFnightlife,
Thissportin’Clife,it’skillin’FmeBbFC7
I’vebeenFgamblerandacheaterF7too
Butnowit’sBbcomemytimetoBbmlose
ThisoleFsportin’life
HasgottheCbesthand,whatcanIFdo?BbFC7
Thereain’tbutFonethingthatIthinkthatIdoneF7wrong
IlivedthatBbsportin’life,myfriend,tooBbmlong
Isaid,it’sFnogood
PleaseCbelieveme,pleaseleaveit FaloneBbFC7
I’mgetting’Ftiredofrunnin’F7around
ThinkI’llgetBbmarriedandsettleBbmdown
ThisoleFnightlife,
Thissportin’Clife,it’skillin’FmeBbFC7
I’vebeenFgamblerandacheaterF7too
Butnowit’sBbcomemytimetoBbmlose
ThisoleFsportin’life
HasgottheCbesthand,whatcanIFdo?BbFC7
Thereain’tbutFonethingthatIthinkthatIdoneF7wrong
IlivedthatBbsportin’life,myfriend,tooBbmlong
Isaid,it’sFnogood
PleaseCbelieveme,pleaseleaveit Fa‐loneBbFC7
I’mgetting’Ftiredofrunnin’F7around
ThinkI’llgetBbmarriedandsettleBbmdown
ThisoleFnightlife,thissportin’Clife,it’skillin’FmeBbF
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.
ArtistDave Van Ronk
Album...And the Tin Pan Bended and the Story Ended...
GenresFolk
Year2004
KeyC
DifficultyAdvanced

How to play Sporting Life Blues on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Dave Van Ronk - Sporting Life Blues on guitar requires 6 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.

Sporting Life Blues uses these transitions most often: Bb → Bbm (10), Bb → F (10), and Bbm → F (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 C7 - F chord transition.

1. C7 → F chord transition

Guitar C7 chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-3-1-0Guitar C7 chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram

Switching from C7 to F:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

C7 to F

2. F → F7 chord transition

Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar F7 chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-1-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F7 chord diagram

Switching from F to F7:

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Keep index finger on E string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  4. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

F to F7

3. F7 → Bb chord transition

Guitar F7 chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-1-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F7 chord diagram
Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram Fingering: x-1-3-3-3-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram

To move from F7 to Bb:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

F7 to Bb

4. Bb → Bbm chord transition

Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram Fingering: x-1-3-3-3-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram
Guitar A#m | B♭m chord diagram Fingering: x-1-3-3-2-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar A#m | B♭m chord diagram

Here's how to move from Bb to Bbm:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

Bb to Bbm

5. Bbm → F chord transition

To move from Bbm to F:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

6. F → C chord transition

Here's how to move from F to C:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

7. F → Bb chord transition

Switching from F to Bb:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

Sporting Life Blues chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Sporting Life Blues.

  • Sporting Life Blues includes 99 chord transitions, 7 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Sporting Life Blues contains 1 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Sporting Life Blues 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 → C: 40%
    • F → Bb: 5%
    After Bb, the most likely next chords across Chordier are F (34%), C (20%), and Dm (9%).
    • Bb → F: 34%
    • Bb → Bbm: 2%
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.