Feb62021

Foo Fighters – Holding Poison Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

KeyKeyCapo

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[Intro]
B5 A5 E5 D5 x2
B5 A5 E5 D5 x2

[Verse 1]
B5
I got this thing and
                         A  G#5
I've been taking it out on you
              D   B5
Taking it out on you,
  E5  G#5   B5
poor you
Like a machine that's always
              A   G#m
breaking down on you
               D  B5   A   G#5
Breaking down on you, so true

[Pre-Chorus]
D   G
I spin around, around, around
E
Spin around, around, around
D
Spin around, around, around
                     F#5
And then out of the blue

[Chorus]
B5           A5     E5  D5
Holding the poison down
B5           A5     E5  D5
Holding the poison down
B5            A5       E5  D5
Something to drown you out
      B5           A5     E5  D5
I'm holding the poison down
            B5           A5
You know I want what I want,
   E5       D5
I get what I get
      B5           A5
You know what I mean?
    E5         D5
I know what I said
B5           A5     E5  D5
Holding the poison down
B5           A5     E5  D5
Holding the poison down

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[Instrumental]
B5   E G#5

[Verse 2]
B5
I get the feeling that there
                      E  G#m
ain't nothing that I can do
                 D     B5
Nothing will get me through,
A   G#m  D B5
so blue
Sometimes I dream,
                       E G#m
I can dream, I can dream
And then I bleed,
                      D B5
and I bleed, and I bleed
I get the feeling that there
                      E   G#5  E
ain't nothing that I can do

[Pre-Chorus]
D   G
I spin around, around, around
E
Spin around, around, around
D
Spin around, around, around
                     F#5
And then out of the blue

[Chorus]
B5           A5     E5  D5
Holding the poison down
B5           A5     E5  D5
Holding the poison down
B5            A5       E5  D5
Something to drown you out
      B5           A5     E5  D5
I'm holding the poison down
            B5           A5
You know I want what I want,
   E5       D5
I get what I get
      B5           A5
You know what I mean?
    E5         D5
I know what I said
B5           A5     E5  D5
Holding the poison down
B5           A5     E5  D5
Holding the poison down

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

[Instrumental]
B5   E G#5

[Guitar Solo]
B5

[Pre-Chorus]
B5
Stand around, around, around
E
Stand around, around, around
D
Stand around, around, around
            F#5
Out of thе blue

[Chorus]
B5           A5     E5  D5
Holding the poison down
B5           A5     E5  D5
Holding the poison down
B5            A5       E5  D5
Something to drown you out
      B5           A5     E5  D5
I'm holding the poison down
            B5           A5
You know I want what I want,
   E5       D5
I get what I get
      B5           A5
You know what I mean?
    E5         D5
I know what I said
B5           A5     E5  D5
Holding the poison down
B5           A5     E5  D5
Holding the poison down

[Outro]
B5   E G#5  N.C.

How to play Holding Poison: key, chords and progression

These are the chords for Holding Poison by Foo Fighters on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard

Holding Poison by Foo Fighters is centred on E major (four sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯). The song uses 11 chords: B5, A5, E5, D5, A, G#5, D, G#m, G, E and F#5.

Listen for B5 – A5 – E5 – D5 (V – IV – I – ♭VII in E major): the song comes back to it again and again. Once these 4 changes are comfortable, most of the song is done.

Good to know: B5, G#5, G#m and F#5 are played as barre or movable shapes on guitar. Practise the change into them slowly; on piano and ukulele the same chords are easier.