Mar182022

Arcade Fire – The Lightning I Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

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These are the chords for The Lightning I by Arcade Fire on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard

[Intro]
E
E  E   E  E7   A  D   F#m  E
E  E7  A  D   F#m  E

[Verse 1]
E7                  A         D
Fourth place anthem playing tonight
     F#m        E
On a broken radio
E7                     A
Thought we reached the mountain top
    D   F#m             E
But now we just feel so low
     E7             A
The sky is breaking open,
        D
we keep hoping
       F#m                   E
In the distance, we'll see a glow
E7                  A
Lightning light our way
        D
Til the black sky,
F#m               E    E    E  E7
turns back to indigo

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[Chorus]
A                     D
 We can make it if you
 don’t quit on me
F#m                  E
 I won't quit on you,
 don't quit on me
E                      E7
 We can make it, baby, please,
 don't quit on me
A                    D
 I won't quit on you,
 don't quit on me
F#m                 E    E7
 I'll never quit on you

[Verse 2]
A                D
 We were born in paradise
F#m                  E    E7
 Beneath a poisoned sky
A        D
 Under a bad sign
          F#m        E
The micro-age of Gemini
    E7             A
And we are still unlearning
          D
Tirеs are burning in
    F#m             E
the middle of Rodеo Drive
E7                   A
Know that we’ve been beaten
         D
down and broken
    F#m               E
But now we could testify
E    E  E7

Feel free to use our free Chord Shape Generator to see every chord in this song on guitar, ukulele and piano.

[Chorus]
A                     D
 We can make it if you
 don’t quit on me
F#m                  E
 I won't quit on you,
 don't quit on me
E                      E7
 We can make it, baby, please,
 don't quit on me
A                    D
 I won't quit on you,
 don't quit on me
F#m                 E
 I'll never quit on you

[Outro]
E         E7    A
 It’s not up to you
         D             F#m
Some you win, some you lose
          E         E
(When the lightning comes)
          E7     A
You don’t get to choose
       D           F#m
So you win, so you lose
          E         E
(When the lightning comes)

How to play The Lightning I: key, chords and progression

The Lightning I by Arcade Fire is centred on A major (three sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯). The song uses 5 chords: E, E7, A, D and F#m.

The progression the song keeps returning to is E – E7 – A – D (V – V7 – I – IV in A major). In solfa, that is soh – soh – doh – fah. Learn these 4 changes first and most of the song falls into place.

Easier on guitar: put a capo on the 2nd fret and play the shapes D, D7, G, C, Em (100% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 80% without a capo). It sounds exactly the same.

Chord diagrams

E7 chord on guitar (020100) — E7E G♯ B D

F#m chord on guitar (244222) — F♯mF♯ A C♯

The Lightning I chords: questions

What key is The Lightning I in?

The Lightning I by Arcade Fire is centred on A major (three sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯).

What chords are in The Lightning I?

The Lightning I uses 5 chords: E, E7, A, D, F#m.

What is the chord progression of The Lightning I?

The main progression is E – E7 – A – D (V – V7 – I – IV).

Is The Lightning I easy to play on guitar?

Yes, with a capo: put a capo on the 2nd fret and play the shapes D, D7, G, C, Em (100% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 80% without a capo).

How to play The Lightning I: key, chords and progression

Chord diagrams

The Lightning I chords: questions

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