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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.

Melanie Safka - What Have They Done to My Song Ma Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsG, Em, C, C7, A, A7, D7
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

GLookwhatthey’vedonetomyEmsong,Ma
CLookwhatthey’vedonetomyC7song
Wellit’stheGonlythingIcouldAdohalfright
Andit’sCturningoutallA7wrong,Ma
GLookwhatthey’veD7donetomyGsong.D7
GLookwhatthey’vedonetomyEmbrain,Ma
CLookwhatthey’vedonetomyC7song
WelltheyGpickeditlikeaAchickenbone
AndICthinkI’mhalf A7insane,Ma
GLookwhatthey’veD7donetomyGsong.D7
GIwishIcouldfindagoodEmbooktolivein,
CWishIcouldfindagoodC7book
WellifGIcouldfindaArealgoodbook,
I’dCneverhavetocomeA7outandlookat
Gwhatthey’veD7donetomyGsong.D7
GIlsontchangema Emchanson,Ma
CIlsontchangema C7chanson
C’estlaGseulechosequeAjepeuxfaire
EtCcen’estpasA7bon,Ma
GIlsontD7changema Gchanson.D7
GButmaybeit’llallbeallEmrightma,Cmaybeit’llallbeC7OK
WellGifthepeopleareAbuyingtears,CI’llberich A7someday,ma
GLookwhatthey’veD7donetomyGsong.D7
GLookwhatthey’vedonetomyEmsong,Ma
CLookwhatthey’vedonetomyC7song
WelltheyGtieditupinaAplasticbag
andtheyCturneditupsidedown
GLookwhatthey’veD7tomyGsong.
GLookwhatthey’vedonetomyEmsong,Ma
CLookwhatthey’vedonetomyC7song
Wellit’stheGonlythingIcouldAdoallright,
andtheyCturneditupsidedown
GLookwhatthey’veD7tomyGsong.
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.
ArtistMelanie Safka
AlbumCandles in the Rain
GenresFolk, Folk Rock, Rock
Year1970
KeyG
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play What Have They Done to My Song Ma on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Melanie Safka - What Have They Done to My Song Ma on guitar requires 7 chords and 10 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.

What Have They Done to My Song Ma uses these transitions most often: D7 → G (12), G → D7 (12), and A → C (7). 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 - Em chord transition.

1. G → Em chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram

To move from G to Em:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 7 times.

G to Em

2. Em → C chord transition

Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 7 times.

Em to C

3. C → C7 chord transition

Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar C7 chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-3-1-0Guitar C7 chord diagram

To move from C to C7:

  1. Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
  3. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on G string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 7 times.

C to C7

4. C7 → G chord transition

Guitar C7 chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-3-1-0Guitar C7 chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram

Switching from C7 to G:

  1. While playing C7, lift your pinky from G string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  4. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 7 times.

C7 to G

5. G → A chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 7 times.

6. A → C chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 7 times.

7. C → A7 chord transition

Switching from C to A7:

  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 D string fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to B string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

8. A7 → G chord transition

Here's how to move from A7 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 B string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Place ring finger on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

9. G → D7 chord transition

Here's how to move from G to D7:

  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 G string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 3 to fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse, played 12 times.

10. C → G chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

What Have They Done to My Song Ma chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in What Have They Done to My Song Ma.

  • What Have They Done to My Song Ma includes 78 chord transitions, 10 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • What Have They Done to My Song Ma contains 2 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how What Have They Done to My Song Ma 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 → Em: 9%
    • G → A: 6%
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → C7: 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.