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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.

James Bay - Stealing Cars Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsEm, Am, D, G, C, A, B, Bm, E
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 Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D 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 A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
  • Guitar B chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-4-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar B chord diagram
  • Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram
  • Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram

[Opening]
[Em] [Am] [Em] [D] [Em]
All we need is a spark, [Am]a second chance, a lifeline [Em] [D]
[Em]Waiting [G]up in the [Am]dark, holding up for a search [C]light [G] [D]

[chorus]
[C]No I don’t [G]know why [D]seasons change [Em]or [C]how we fell [G]so far [A]
[C]Before our [G]hearts go up in [Am]flames
[Em]Let’s go [C]throwing [G]stones, [D]and stealing [Em]cars

[verse 2]
[C] [G] [Am] [Em] [C] [G] [D]
[Em]Let the heat of the sun, [Am]reignite your memory [Em]
‘Cause if we just [G]turn and run, [Am]let them fire the gun [B]

[chorus]
[C]No I don’t [G]know why [D]seasons change [Em]or [C]how we fell [G]so far [A]
[C]Before our [G]hearts go up in [Am]flames
[Em]Let’s go [C]throwing [G]stones, [D]and stealing [Em]cars

[verse 3]
[C]Silence and smoke remind us, [G] [C]maybe the world won’t find us [G]
[C]Fall to the Earth in red [Am]light ’til it’s gone [C] [G]

[Closing]
[C] [G] [Am] [Em] [C] [G] [A] [C] [G] [Am] [C] [G] [Bm]
[C]No I don’t know [G]why seasons [Am]change, [Em] [C]how we get back to the [G]stars [A]
[C]Before our hearts go up in [G]flames, [A] [E] [Em]let’s go [C]throwing [G]stones
And [D]stealing cars, [Em]let’s go [C]throwing stones [G] [Bm]and stealing [Em]cars

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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.
ArtistJames Bay
AlbumChaos and the Calm (Deluxe)
GenresAlternative, Blues, Folk, Indie, Indie Folk, Blues Rock
Year2015
KeyEm

How to play Stealing Cars on Guitar (Step-by-step)

James Bay - Stealing Cars on guitar requires 9 chords and 18 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.

Stealing Cars uses these transitions most often: C → G (23), Em → C (11), and Am → Em (8). 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 - Am chord transition.

1. Em → Am chord transition

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

To move from Em to Am;

  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 G string fret 2.
  3. Place index finger on B string fret 1.
Em to Am

2. Em → D chord transition

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

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.
Em to D

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

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

4. 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

5. Am → C chord transition

To move from Am to C;

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

6. C → G chord transition

To move from C to G;

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

7. G → D chord transition

To move 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. G → A chord transition

To move from G to A;

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

11. A → C chord transition

To move from A to C;

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

12. Am → B chord transition

To move from Am to B;

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

13. B → C chord transition

To move from B to C;

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

14. G → Bm chord transition

To move from G to Bm;

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

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. E → Em chord transition

To move from E to Em;

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

18. Bm → Em chord transition

To move from Bm to Em;

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

Stealing Cars chord transition analysis

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

  • Stealing Cars includes 97 chord transitions, 18 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Stealing Cars contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Stealing Cars 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 C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → Am: 10%
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.