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Frank Sinatra - That’s Life Chords

ChordsG, B, Em, A, D, C, D#, G#, Fm, A#, E
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

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


That’s [G]life, that’s what [B]all the people say
[Em]You’re riding high in April, [A]shot down in May
[G]But I know I’m gonna [B]change that [Em]tune
When [A]Im back on top, back on top in [D]June


I said that’s [G]life (that’s life), and [B]as funny as it may seem
[Em]Some people get their kicks [A]stomping on a dream
But [G]I don’t let it, let [B]it get me [Em]down
’cause this [A]fine old world, [D]it keeps spinning [D]round


[G]I’ve been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet,
a [G]pawn and a kingI’ve been [C]up and down and over and out [C]and I know one thing
[A]Each time I find myself flat on my face
[D]I pick myself up and get back in the race


That’s [G]life (that’s life), I tell you [B]I can’t deny it
[Em]I thought of quitting, baby,[A]but my heart just ain’t gonna buy it
[G]And if I didn’t think it [B]was worth one single [Em]try
[A]I’d jump right on a big bird and then I’d fly[D]


[G]I’ve been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet, a [G]pawn and a king
I’ve been [C]up and down and over and out [C]and I know one thing
[A]Each time I find myself flat on my face
[D]I pick myself up and get back in the race [D#]


[G#]That’s life (that’s life), that’s life and I [C]can’t deny it
[Fm]Many times I thought of cuttinb out [A#]but my heart won’t buy it
[G#]But if there’s nothing [C]shaking come this here [Fm]July
I’m gonna [A#]myself up in a [G#]big ball a-and [G]die [B][E][Em]
[Em]My, [G]my!

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AlbumThat’s Life
GenresJazz, Pop, R&B, Soul
Year1966
KeyG

How to play That’s Life on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Frank Sinatra - That’s Life on guitar requires 11 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.

That’s Life uses these transitions most often: G → B (7), B → Em (6), and Em → A (6). 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 - B chord transition.

1. G → B chord transition

To move from G to B;

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

2. B → Em chord transition

To move from B to Em;

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

3. Em → A chord transition

To move from Em to A;

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

4. A → G chord transition

To move from A to G;

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

5. A → D chord transition

To move from A to D;

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

6. D → G chord transition

To move from D to G;

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

7. G → C chord transition

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.

8. C → A chord transition

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.

9. D → D# chord transition

To move from D to D#;

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

10. D# → G# chord transition

To move from D# to G#;

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

11. G# → C chord transition

To move from G# to C;

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

12. C → Fm chord transition

To move from C to Fm;

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

13. Fm → A# chord transition

To move from Fm to A#;

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

14. A# → G# chord transition

To move from A# to G#;

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

15. G# → G chord transition

To move from G# to G;

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

16. B → E chord transition

To move from B to E;

  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 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 4 to A string fret 2.
  4. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 4 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. Em → G chord transition

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.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in That’s Life.

  • That’s Life includes 49 chord transitions, 18 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.01% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • That’s Life contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how That’s Life 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 → B: 1%
    After Em, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (26%), G (18%), and D (17%).
    • Em → G: 18%
    • Em → A: 5%