Dec302021

Bruce Cockburn – States Im In Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

ChordsEm G Bm

KeyKeyCapo

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[Verse]
Em
Seen rose gold haze at
the end of the day
Em
Ragged-winged hawk swooping
down on prey
Em
Curtain going up on the night
time shadow play
Em
Seen sun going down set
the sea on fire
Em
Black smoke boiling from
burning tires
Em
And bones in the mud, was
the blood sacrifice required?

[Chorus]
G                   Em
Ooh-wee, all the sights I've seen
          G
In the depth of the world
         Em
and the heart of a dream
G                   Em
Ooh-wee, all the places I've been
  G
Each one reflected in
    Em                 Bm
the states I'm in, uh huh
           Em
States I'm in

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[Verse]
Em
One day fit and one day fat
Em
One day flush and one day flat
Em
Reality distorted like I sat on hat
Em
One day I feel like I'm in control
Em
Next I'm suspended in
a bottomless hole
Em
A drunk trying to shinny
up a greased pole

[Chorus]
G                   Em
Ooh-wee, all the sights I've seen
          G
In the depth of the world
         Em
and the heart of a dream
G                 Em
Ooh-wee, all the places I've been
  G
Each one reflected in
    Em                 Bm
the states I'm in, uh huh
           Em
States I'm in

[Verse]
Em
I'm slick as a dealer in
a green eye shade
Em
Aces up his sleeve and
he's not afraid
Em
The mayor and his uniformed
monkeys have been well paid
Em
Climbing up the ivy
to the balcony above
Em
Where pines the heart of
my one true love
Em
Obsession, delusion, all
that waits is the fateful shove

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

[Chorus]
G                   Em
Ooh-wee, all the sights I've seen
          G
In the depth of the world and
     Em
the heart of a dream
G                   Em
Ooh-wee, all the places I've been
  G                       Em
Each one reflected in the states
            Bm
I'm in, uh huh
           Em
States I'm in

[Solo]
Em

[Verse]
Em
Crows in the treetops motors
in the road
Em
Structures of darkness that
the dawn corrodes
Em
Into the title montage
of a new episode
Em
Whisper wells up from
the deeps untrod
Em
Overflows the channel
and spreads abroad
Em
Gathers in power like
a lightning rod

[Chorus]
G                   Em
Ooh-wee, all the sights I've seen
          G
In the depth of the world
         Em
and the heart of a dream
G                   Em
Ooh-wee, all the places I've been
  G
Each one reflected in
    Em                 Bm
the states I'm in, uh huh
           Em
States I'm in
G                   Em
Ooh-wee, all the sights I've seen
          G
In the depth of the world
         Em
and the heart of a dream
G                   Em
Ooh-wee, all the places I've been
  G
Each one reflected in
    Em                 Bm
the states I'm in, uh huh
           Em
States I'm in

How to play States Im: key, chords and progression

These are the chords for States Im In by Bruce Cockburn on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard

States Im by Bruce Cockburn keeps coming home to C major (no sharps or flats). You need 3 chords: Em, G and Bm.

The backbone of the song is Em – G – Em – Bm (iii – V – iii – vii in C major). In solfa, that is mi – soh – mi – te. Practise these 4 changes until they feel natural and you can play most of it.

Easier on guitar: put a capo on the 7th fret and play the shapes Am, C, Em (100% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 67% without a capo). It sounds exactly the same.