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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.

Electric Light Orchestra - When I Was A Boy Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsC, Em, Am, F, Dm, G, A7, Ab7
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

CWhenIwasaEmboyIhadaAmdream,C
FAllabouttheAmthingsI’dliketoDmbe,C
GSoonasIwasinmybed,Fmusicplayed GinsidemyEmhead,
WhenIwasaGboyIhadaCdream!
CWhenIwasaEmboyIlearnttoAmplay,
FFarintotheAmnightanddrift Dmaway,C
GDon’twannaworkonthemilkorthebread,
FJustwannaplaymy GguitarinsteadEm,
WhenIwasaGboyIhadaCdream!
AndCradioAmwavesGkeptmeFcompany,
Ab7InthoseCbeautifulAmdays,
GwhenthereFwasA7noDmmoney,
WhenIwasaAb7boyIhadaCdream!
CWhenIwasaEmboyIhadaAmdream,C
FFindingoutwhatAmlifecouldreallyDmmean,C
GDon’twantajob,’causeitdrivesmecrazy,
FJustwannasing,‘DoyouGloveme,baby?’Em
WhenIwasaGboyIhadaCdream!
AndCradioAmwavesGkeptmeFcompany,
Ab7InthoseCbeautifulAmdays,
GwhenthereFwasA7noDmmoney,
WhenIwasaAb7boyIhadaCdream!
WhenIwasaAb7boy!Ab7C
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.
ArtistElectric Light Orchestra
AlbumAlone in the Universe
GenresRock
Year2015
KeyC
DifficultyAdvanced

How to play When I Was A Boy on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Electric Light Orchestra - When I Was A Boy on guitar requires 8 chords and 15 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.

When I Was A Boy uses these transitions most often: C → Em (7), Em → Am (7), and G → F (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 C - Em chord transition.

1. C → Em chord transition

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

Here's how to move from C to Em:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 7 times.

C to Em

2. 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

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 7 times.

Em to Am

3. Am → C chord transition

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

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

Am to C

4. C → F chord transition

Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram

Switching from C to F:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

C to F

5. F → Am chord transition

Switching from F to Am:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

6. Am → Dm chord transition

To move from Am to Dm:

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

7. Dm → C chord transition

Switching from Dm to C:

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 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 3 and place it on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

8. C → G chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

9. G → F chord transition

Here's how to move from G to F:

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
  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 A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 7 times.

10. G → Em chord transition

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 3 times.

11. Am → G chord transition

Here's how to move from Am 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 G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

12. F → A7 chord transition

Switching from F to A7:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

13. A7 → Dm chord transition

To move from A7 to Dm:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

14. Dm → Ab7 chord transition

To move from Dm to Ab7:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

15. Ab7 → C chord transition

To move from Ab7 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 E string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  3. Place ring finger on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 5 times.

When I Was A Boy chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in When I Was A Boy.

  • When I Was A Boy includes 72 chord transitions, 15 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • When I Was A Boy contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how When I Was A Boy 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 → F: 16%
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → C: 25%
    • G → F: 9%
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.