Skip to song content
Chordier homepage
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.

Alan Jackson - Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) Chords

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

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.

C
CWherewereyouwhentheworldstoppedturning,
GOnthatSeptemberCday?
WereCyouintheYardwithyourwifeandchildren,
OrGworkingonsomestageinCL.A?
DidyouFstandthereinshock
AttheCsightofthatblacksmoke
FRisingagainstthatblueCsky?
DidyouFshoutoutinanger
InCfearforyourneighbor,
OrAmdidyoujustsitdownandFcry?G
DidyouCweepforthechildren,theylosttheirdearlovedones,
AndGprayfortheoneswhodon’tCknow?
Didyou Crejoiceforthepeoplewhowalkedfromtherubble
AndGsobfortheonesleft Cbelow?
Didyoufburstoutwithpride,fortheCRed,White,andBlue?
AndtheFheroeswhodiedjustCdoingwhattheydo?
DidyouFlookuptoheavenforCsomekindofanswer,
AndAmlookatyourselfandFwhatreallymatters?G
fI’mjustasingerofCsimplesongsI’mnota
FRealpoliticalCman
IwatchFCNN,ButI’mCnotsureIcantellyou
TheAmdifferenceinIraqandFIran.
ButFIknowJesusandCItalktoGod
AndIFrememberthisfromwhenIwasCyoung
FFaith,HopeandLove,aresomeCgoodthingshegaveus
GAndthegreatestisFlove.G
CWherewereyouwhentheworldstoppedturning
GOnthatSeptemberCday?
CTeachingaclassfullofinnocentchildren
OrGdrivingdownsomecold Cinterstate?
DidFyoufeelguiltycauseCyou’reasurvivor
InaFcrowdedroomdidyoufeelCalone?
DidyouFcallupyourmother
AndCtellyoulovedher?
DidyouAmdustoffthatBibleatFhome?G
DidyouCopenyoueyesandhopeitneverhappened
GCloseyoureyesandnotgotoCsleep?
DidyouCnoticethesunsetforthefirsttimeinages
AndGspeaktosomestrangerontheCstreet?
DidyouFlaydownatnightandCthinkoftomorrow?
FGooutandbuyyouaCgun?
DidyouFturnoffthatviolentoldCmovieyou’rewatching
AndAmturnon“ILoveLucy” Freruns?
DidyouFgotoachurchandholdChandswithsomestrangers
FStandinlineandgiveyourownCblood?
DidyouFjuststayhome
AndclingCtighttoyourfamily,
ThankAmGodyouhadsomebodytoFlove?
FI’mjustasingerofCsimplesongsI’mnota
FRealpoliticalCman
IwatchFCNN,ButI’mCnotsureIcantellyou
TheAmdifferenceinIraqandFIran.
ButFIknowJesusandCItalktoGod
AndI FrememberthisfromwhenIwasCyoung
FFaith,HopeandLove,aresomeCgoodthingshegaveus
GAndthegreatestisFlove.
FI’mjustasingerofCsimplesongsI’mnota
FRealpoliticalCman
IwatchFCNN,ButI’mCnotsureIcantellyou
TheAmdifferenceinIraqandFIran.
ButFIknowJesusandCItalktoGod
AndI FrememberthisfromwhenIwasCyoung
FFaith,HopeandLove,aresomeCgoodthingshegaveus
GAndthegreatestisFlove.
AndtheGgreatestisFLove
AndtheGgreatestisFLove
CWherewereyouwhentheworldstoppedturning,G
OnthatSeptemberCday?
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.
ArtistAlan Jackson
AlbumDrive
GenresCountry, Soft Rock
Year2001
KeyC
DifficultyIntermediate

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

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

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 12 times.

C to G

2. 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

To move 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 25 times.

C to F

3. C → Am chord transition

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

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 8 times.

C to Am

4. Am → F chord transition

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

To move from Am 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. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 8 times.

Am to F

5. F → G chord transition

Switching from F to G:

  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 A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G 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 6 times.

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%
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.