Sep232020

Fleet Foxes – A Long Way Past The Past Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 9, 2026

KeyKeyCapo

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[Intro]
Dm/C C x2

[Verse 1]
            Dm/C   C
More than I had in mind
            Dm/C   C
More than I wish I knew
             F       Em7
And now it’s near on me
     G           Dm7
Some rush of red fear
           Dm/C  C         
And my worst old times look 
    Dm/C   C
fine from here

[Verse 2]
           Dm/C        C
I know you walked this route
              Dm/C    C
And you might help me out
                F       Em7
You said what's done is done
        G              Dm7
I can't turn the hand 'round
        Dm/C C       Dm/C   
But still it looks a long way
  C
 down

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[Chorus]
F  Em7         Dm7             
Oh man, was it that much better
 C
 then?
        Bb                  Dm/C 
We were left alone, we were proud
        C
 of our pain
F      Em7       Dm7             C
And so I want to walk out in the night
Bb                 Dm/C        C
See the wide young river flood rain

[Verse 3]
             Dm/C         C
We're not on one straight line
          Dm/C    C
I made my own way through
             F          Em7
And when the track goes cold
     G              Dm7
I'll know that it's true
          Dm/C     C         Dm/C   
That rebirth won't work like it used
 C
 to

[Chorus]
F  Em7         Dm7              C
Oh man, was it that much better then?
        Bb                  Dm/C  
We were left alone, we were proud
       C
 of our pain
F      Em7       Dm7             C
And so I want to walk out in the night
Bb                 Dm/C        C
See the wide young river flood rain
Dm/C C x3

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

[Interlude]
F G x2 Em7
F
And I can't let go
              G   F
Of a lot I've left
I'm holding nothing
           G   Em7
But what I kept
And it all got dimmer
                 F
Each passing step
And I need you with me
                 G   F
And you read the writ
Are you now insisting
                G  Em7
Is it not worth it?
But I've got no option
                         F   C
I inherited this and I'm overcome
F C x2
G F
F C x2
G F

[Outro]
F      Em7           Dm7     
That's that, we're a long way
          C
 from the past
        Bb              Dm/C       C
I'll be better off in a year or in two

How to play A Long Way Past The Past: key, chords and progression

YalleThis is the chords of A Long Way Past The Past by Fleet Foxes on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar and Keyboard.

A Long Way Past The Past by Fleet Foxes is built around C major (no sharps or flats), with 7 chords in all: Dm/C, C, F, Em7, G, Dm7 and Bb.

The progression the song keeps returning to is Dm/C – C – F – Em7 (ii – I – IV – iii7 in C major). In solfa, that is reh – doh – fah – mi. Learn these 4 changes first and most of the song falls into place.

Good to know: on guitar, F and Bb need a barre or movable shape. Take the change into them slowly at first; piano and ukulele players have it easier.