Sep22021

cavetown – Trying Not To Cry Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

ChordsCadd9 G5 Em7 Am7 GM7 CM7 G B7 D7 Bm7 D

KeyKeyCapo

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[Verse]
Cadd9 G5  Em7
Can   you hear all of
    Am7 GM7 Em7
 my o---pen wounds
    Cadd9 GM7 Em7
I'm whisp-er--ing as loud
       Am7    GM7   G5
as the flowers bloom
Cadd9 G5   Em7              Am7
I've  been somewhere in the sky,
GM7   Em7
don't worry
        Cadd9 GM7 Em7
I'll be right on  time
         Am7  GM7
if I can help it
G5
I'm so sorry

[Chorus]
          CM7
I've been trying not to cry
       B   B(x) CM7
in the gro-cery store
G  B7
       CM7
Little bully inside
        B     B(x) CM7
pinning me to the  floor
G  B7
           CM7            D7
It must be easier than it seems
            Bm7
But I can't get these
           B7
thorns out of my teeth
     CM7            Bm7  CM7   G
It's killing me but I want more

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[Verse]
Cadd9  G5 Em7
Co-ver my ears
                     Am7
I think I'm shutting down,
   GM7       Em7
go-ing standby, sleep mode, offline
Cadd9 GM7 Em7
Feel  no--thing
              Am7  GM7 Em7 D
It's quiet as hell in  my  room

[Bridge]
Cadd9 G5   Em7
I've  been fighting
       Am7  GM7  Em7
for my sanc-tuar-y
         Cadd9 GM7 Em7
How do I stay  a---live
           G5
if I don't wanna be

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

[Chorus]
          CM7
I've been trying not to cry
       B   B(x) CM7
in the gro-cery store
G  B7
       CM7
Little bully inside
        B     B(x) CM7
pinning me to the  floor
G  B7
           CM7            D7
It must be easier than it seems
            Bm7
But I can't get these thorns
    B7
out of my teeth
     CM7            Bm7  CM7   G
It's killing me but I want more

How to play Trying Not To Cry: key, chords and progression

These are the chords for Trying Not To Cry by cavetown on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard

To play Trying Not To Cry by cavetown, think in G major (one sharp: F♯). It takes 11 chords: Cadd9, G5, Em7, Am7, GM7, CM7, G, B7, D7, Bm7 and D.

Listen for Em7 – Am7 – GM7 – Em7 (vi7 – ii7 – Imaj7 – vi7 in G major): the song comes back to it again and again. In solfa, that is lah – reh – doh – lah. Once these 4 changes are comfortable, most of the song is done.

Beginner-friendly: almost every chord is an open chord on guitar, so you can play it without a capo or barre chords.