Alan Jackson - Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow. Using the Transpose tool, switch to A,D,E,G keys to play this song with easier chords.
Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar Am chord diagram
[Opening]
[C]
[C]Where were you when the world stopped turning,
[G]On that September [C]day?
Were [C]you in the Yard with your wife and children,
Or [G]working on some stage in [C]L.A?
Did you [F]stand there in shock
At the [C]sight of that black smoke
[F]Rising against that blue [C]sky?
Did you [F]shout out in anger
In [C]fear for your neighbor,
Or [Am]did you just sit down and [F]cry? [G]
[verse 2]
Did you [C]weep for the children, they lost their dear loved ones,
And [G]pray for the ones who don’t [C]know?
Did you re[C]joice for the people who walked from the rubble
And [G]sob for the ones left be[C]low?
[verse 3]
Did you [f]burst out with pride, for the [C]Red, White, and Blue?
And the [F]heroes who died just [C]doing what they do?
Did you [F]look up to heaven for [C]some kind of answer,
And [Am]look at your self and [F]what really matters? [G]
[chorus]
[f]I’m just a singer of [C]simple songs I’m not a
[F]Real political [C]man
I watch [F]CNN, But I’m [C]not sure I can tell you
The [Am]difference in Iraq and [F]Iran.
But [F]I know Jesus and [C]I talk to God
And I [F]remember this from when I was [C]young
[F]Faith, Hope and Love, are some [C]good things he gave us
[G]And the greatest is [F]love. [G]
[verse 4]
[C]Where were you when the world stopped turning
[G]On that September [C]day?
[C]Teaching a class full of innocent children
Or [G]driving down some cold inter[C]state?
Did [F]you feel guilty cause [C]you’re a survivor
In a [F]crowded room did you feel [C]alone?
Did you [F]call up your mother
And [C]tell you loved her?
Did you [Am]dust off that Bible at [F]home? [G]
[verse 5]
Did you [C]open you eyes and hope it never happened
[G]Close your eyes and not go to [C]sleep?
Did you [C]notice the sunset for the first time in ages
And [G]speak to some stranger on the [C]street?
Did you [F]lay down at night and [C]think of tomorrow?
[F]Go out and buy you a [C]gun?
Did you [F]turn off that violent old [C]movie you’re watching
And [Am]turn on “I Love Lucy” re[F]runs?
[verse 6]
Did you [F]go to a church and hold [C]hands with some strangers
[F]Stand inline and give your own [C]blood?
Did you [F]just stay home
And cling [C]tight to your family,
Thank [Am]God you had somebody to [F]love?
[chorus]
[F]I’m just a singer of [C]simple songs I’m not a
[F]Real political [C]man
I watch [F]CNN, But I’m [C]not sure I can tell you
The [Am]difference in Iraq and [F]Iran.
But [F]I know Jesus and [C]I talk to God
And I re[F]member this from when I was [C]young
[F]Faith, Hope and Love, are some [C]good things he gave us
[G]And the greatest is [F]love.
[Closing]
[F]I’m just a singer of [C]simple songs I’m not a
[F]Real political [C]man
I watch [F]CNN, But I’m [C]not sure I can tell you
The [Am]difference in Iraq and [F]Iran.
But [F]I know Jesus and [C]I talk to God
And I re[F]member this from when I was [C]young
[F]Faith, Hope and Love, are some [C]good things he gave us
[G]And the greatest is [F]love.
And the [G]greatest is [F]Love
And the [G]greatest is [F]Love
[C]Where were you when the world stopped turning, [G]
On that September [C]day?
How to play Where Were You on Guitar (Step-by-step)
Alan Jackson - Where Were You on guitar requires 4 chords and 5 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.
Where Were You uses these transitions most often: F → C (32), C → F (25), and G → C (13). 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 - G chord transition.
1. C → G chord transition
To move from C to G;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. F → G chord transition
To move from F to G;
- 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 3.
Where Were You chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Where Were You.
- Where Were You includes 109 chord transitions, 5 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- Where Were You contains 4 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how Where Were You 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 F, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (40%), G (21%), and Am (11%).- F → C: 40%
- F → G: 21%