Carole King - Up On The Roof Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar Am chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar Dm chord diagram
Guitar G7 chord diagram
Guitar C7 chord diagram
Guitar Dm7 chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar C6 chord diagram
[intro]
[C] [Am] [F] [Dm] [G7] [C] [G7]
[Opening]
When [C]this old world starts [Am]getting me down and
[F]people are [Dm]much too [G7]much… for me to [C]take [F][G7]
[verse 2]
I [C]climb right up to the [Am]top of the stairs and [F]all my [G7]cares just
[Dm]drift… [G7]right into [C]space [C7]
[verse 3]
[F]On the roof it’s as [Dm]peaceful as can [F]be [Dm]
and [C]there the world be-[Am]low don’t bother [Dm7]me [G7]
[chorus]
So when [C]I come home feeling [Am]tired and beat
I [F]go up where the [Dm]air… is [Dm7]fresh and [C]sweet [F][G7]
[chorus]
I [C]get far away from the [Am]hustling crowds and [F]all the [C]rat race
[Dm]noise….. [G7]down in the [C]street [C7]
[verse 4]
[F]On the roof that’s the [Dm]only place I [F]know [Dm]
Where [Am]you just have to [Em]wish to make it [Dm7]so, [G7]
[chorus]
So when [C]I come home feeling [Am]tired and beat
I [F]go up where the [Dm]air… is [Dm7]fresh and [C]sweet [F][G7]
[chorus]
I [C]get far away from the [Am]hustling crowds and [F]all the [G7]rat race
[Dm]noise….. [G7]down in the [C]street [C7]
[verse 5]
At [F]night the stars put [Dm]on a show for [F]free, [Dm]
and, [C]darling, you can [Am]share it all with [Dm7]me.
[verse 6]
[G7]I keep on tellin’ you that [C]right smack dab in the [Am]middle of town
I [Dm]found a para-[G7]dise that’s trouble-[C]proof [G7]
[verse 7]
And if [C]this world starts [Am]getting you down,
there’s [F]room enough for [Dm]two… up on the [C]roof
[Closing]
[Am]Up on the [C]roof, [Am]up on the [C]roof,
[Am]Pp on the [C]roof, [Am]up on the [C]roof [C6]
How to play Up On The Roof on Guitar (Step-by-step)
Carole King - Up On The Roof 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.
Up On The Roof uses these transitions most often: C → Am (15), G7 → C (14), and F → Dm (11). 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 C - Am chord transition.
1. C → Am chord transition
To move from C to Am;
- Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
2. Am → F chord transition
To move from Am to F;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
- Place pinky on D string fret 3.
3. F → Dm chord transition
To move from F to Dm;
- While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to B string fret 3.
4. Dm → G7 chord transition
To move from Dm to G7;
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 1.
5. G7 → C chord transition
To move from G7 to C;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 3.
6. C → F chord transition
To move from C to F;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
- Place pinky on D string fret 3.
7. F → G7 chord transition
To move from F to G7;
- While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 1.
8. C → C7 chord transition
To move from C to C7;
- Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
- Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
- Place pinky on G string fret 3.
9. C7 → F chord transition
To move from C7 to F;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
- Lift your pinky from G string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 3.
10. Dm → C chord transition
To move from Dm to C;
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
11. Am → Dm7 chord transition
To move from Am to Dm7;
- While playing Am, lift your ring finger from G string fret 2.
- Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
- Lift your middle finger from D string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
12. Dm7 → G7 chord transition
To move from Dm7 to G7;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Place ring finger on E string fret 1.
13. Dm → Dm7 chord transition
To move from Dm to Dm7;
- While playing Dm, lift your ring finger from B string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
14. Dm7 → C chord transition
To move from Dm7 to C;
- Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
- Lift your middle finger from G string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on A string fret 3.
15. Dm → Am chord transition
To move from Dm to Am;
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
16. Am → Em chord transition
To move from Am to Em;
- While playing Am, lift your index finger from B string fret 1.
- Lift your middle finger from D string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
17. Em → Dm7 chord transition
To move from Em to Dm7;
- While playing Em, lift your ring finger from D string fret 2.
- Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Place index finger on B string fret 1.
18. C → C6 chord transition
To move from C to C6;
- Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Place pinky on A string fret 3.
Up On The Roof chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Up On The Roof.
- Up On The Roof includes 98 chord transitions, 18 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- Up On The Roof contains 2 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how Up On The Roof 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 → F: 16%
- C → Am: 10%
After F, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (40%), G (21%), and Am (11%).- F → C: 40%
- F → Dm: 5%