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Simon & Garfunkel - The Only Living Boy In New York Chords

ChordsG, C, Am, D, E7
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 D key to play this song with easier chords.

GTom,getyourplanerightContime.
GIknowyourpart’llCgofine.
GFlydownto CMexico.Am
D[]Do-n-da-da-n-da-da-n-da-daandChereIam.
TheGonlylivingboyinCNewYork.G
GIgetthenewsIneedfromtheweatherCreport.
IcanGgatherallthenewsIneedfromtheweatherCreport.
GHey,I’vegotnothingtoCdotoAmdaybutsmile.
DDo-n-da-da-n-da-n-da-da-nChereIam
TheGonlylivingboyinCNewYorkE7
AmHalfofthetimewe’reDgone,butwedon’tknow.
GWhere,andwedon’tknowCwhere.
GCGCGCAmD
CHereIGamCE7
AmHalfofthetimewe’reDgone,butwedon’tknow.
GWhere,andwedon’tknowCwhere.
GTom,getyourplanerightonCtime.
GIknowthatyou’vebeeneagertoCflynow.
GHey,letyourhonestyCshine,shine,Amshinenow,
DDo-n-da-da-n-da-da-n-dolikeitCshinesonme.
TheGonlylivingboyinNewCYork.
TheGonlylivingboyinNewCYork.G
CE7AmDGC
GCGCGCAmD
CHereIGamC
GCGCGCAmD
CHereIGamCD
AlbumBridge Over Troubled Water
GenresFolk, Pop
Year1970
KeyG
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play The Only Living Boy In New York on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Simon & Garfunkel - The Only Living Boy In New York 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.

The Only Living Boy In New York uses these transitions most often: G → C (29), C → G (25), and Am → D (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 G - C chord transition.

1. G → C chord transition

Here's how 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 verse, played 29 times.

G to C

2. 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, played 6 times.

C to Am

3. Am → D chord transition

To move from Am 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 G string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 8 times.

Am to D

4. D → C chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

D to C

5. C → E7 chord transition

To move from C to E7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

6. E7 → Am chord transition

Here's how to move from E7 to Am:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

7. 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in The Only Living Boy In New York.

  • The Only Living Boy In New York includes 84 chord transitions, 7 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • The Only Living Boy In New York contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how The Only Living Boy In New York connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → D: 11%
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → C: 25%