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The Cranberries - When You’re Gone Chords

ChordsC, Am, Em, G, F
Strumming↓↑-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

CHoldontoAmlovethatisEmwhatIdo,nowthatI’veGfoundyou
CAndfromAmaboveeverything’sEmstinking,they’renotGaroundyou
AndCinthenightIcouldbeAmhelpless,IcouldbeEmlonely,sleepingGwithoutyou
AndCinthedayeverything’sAmcomplex,there’sEmnothingsimplewhenI’mnotGaroundyou
ButICmissyouwhenyou’reAmgone,thatisEmwhatIFdo,babe,babe,babe
Andit’sCgoingtocarryAmon,thatisEmwhatIFknew,babe,babe,babe
CAmEmG
CHoldontoAmmyhandsIfeelI’mEmsinking,sinkingGwithoutyou
CAndtomyAmmindeverything’sEmstinking,stinkingGwithoutyou
AndCinthenightIcouldbeAmhelpless,IcouldbeEmlonely,sleepingGwithoutyou
AndCinthedayeverything’sAmcomplex,there’sEmnothingsimplewhenI’mnotGaroundyou
AndICmissyouwhenyou’reAmgone,thatisEmwhatIFdo,babe,babe,babe
Andit’sCgoingtocarryAmon,thatisEmwhatIFknew,babe,babe,babe
CAmEmGCAmEmG
CBabe,Ambabe,Embabe
CAmEmF
AlbumTo the Faithful Departed
GenresPop, Pop Rock, Rock
Year1996
KeyC
DifficultyEasy

How to play When You're Gone on Guitar (Step-by-step)

The Cranberries - When You're Gone on guitar requires 5 chords and 6 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 You're Gone uses these transitions most often: Am → Em (17), C → Am (17), and Em → G (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:

  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 17 times.

C to Am

2. Am → Em chord transition

To move from Am to Em:

  1. While playing Am, 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 G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse, played 17 times.

Am to Em

3. Em → G chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 11 times.

Em to G

4. G → C chord transition

Switching 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 11 times.

G to C

5. Em → F chord transition

Switching from Em to F:

  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 A string fret 3.
  3. Place index finger on E string fret 1.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

6. F → C chord transition

To move from F to C:

  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. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 5 times.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in When You're Gone.

  • When You're Gone includes 67 chord transitions, 6 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • When You're Gone contains 2 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how When You're Gone 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 → Am: 10%
    After Am, the most likely next chords across Chordier are F (26%), G (21%), and C (16%).
    • Am → Em: 10%