Gavin James – Boxes Piano & Ukulele Chord Progression and Tab

Gavin James – Boxes Piano & Ukulele Chord Progression and Tab

ChordsCDmAmFG

Key
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[Intro]
C Dm Am F

[Verse 1]
C
Went to the wrong school
Dm
Wearing the wrong shoes
Am                                         F                                         C
They told me that I should sit down and just bite my tongue
‘Cause if you’re lucky
Dm
You’ll get to university
Am
Say three hail Marys
F                     C                     Dm
And everything bad will be gone

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[Refrain]
Am                     G                     F
But I’m so tired of standing still
Am                            G                                         F
And I’m not buying what you’re trying to sell

[Chorus]
C
So don’t wake me up
Dm                                                             Am
If you’re only going to tell me to give it up
F                                                             C
Then say everything I do is never enough
Dm
‘Cause you’re lying through your teeth
Am
We don’t fit into your boxes
F
We’re all different underneath
C                     Dm
Don’t wake me up

[Verse 2]
C
When I got my first guitar
Dm
My father told me “Son
Am                                       F                                         C
Four chords is all you need to show people just who you are”

So I played to strangers
Dm
Down by the backstreets
Am                                         F
And everytime they caught me dreaming I’d say

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[Chorus]
C
So don’t wake me up
Dm                                                             Am
If you’re only going to tell me to give it up
F                                                             C
Then say everything I do is never enough
Dm
‘Cause you’re lying through your teeth
Am
We don’t fit into your boxes
F
We’re all different underneath
C                     Dm
Don’t wake me up
Am                     F
Don’t wake me up

[Refrain]
Am                        G                     F
‘Cause I’m so tired of standing still
Am                                         G                     F
And I’m not buying what you are trying to sell
C        Dm     Am
So don’t wake me up

[Chorus]
F                                         C
Oh, oh, oh, don’t wake me up
Dm                                                             Am
If you’re only going to tell me to give it up
F                                                             C
Then say everything I do is never enough
Dm
‘Cause you’re lying through your teeth
Am
We don’t fit into your boxes
F
We’re all different underneath
C                     Dm
Don’t wake me up
Am                     F
Don’t wake me up
C Dm Am F
Don’t wake me up
C
Don’t wake me up

How to play Boxes: key, chords and progression

This is the chords of Boxes by Gavin James on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar and Keyboard.

Boxes by Gavin James is built around C major (no sharps or flats), with 5 chords in all: C, Dm, Am, F and G.

The backbone of the song is C – Dm – Am – F (I – ii – vi – IV in C major). In solfa, that is doh – reh – lah – fah. Practise these 4 changes until they feel natural and you can play most of it.

Easier on guitar: put a capo on the 5th fret and play the shapes G, Am, Em, C, D (100% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 80% without a capo). It sounds exactly the same.

Chord diagrams

C chord on guitar (x32010)
CC E G
Dm chord on guitar (xx0231)
DmD F A
Am chord on guitar (x02210)
AmA C E
F chord on guitar (133211)
FF A C
G chord on guitar (320003)
GG B D

Need another chord or a different shape? Feel free to use our free Chord Shape Generator.

Boxes chords: questions

What key is Boxes in?

Boxes by Gavin James is centred on C major (no sharps or flats).

What chords are in Boxes?

Boxes uses 5 chords: C, Dm, Am, F, G.

What is the chord progression of Boxes?

The main progression is C – Dm – Am – F (I – ii – vi – IV).

Is Boxes easy to play on guitar?

Yes, with a capo: put a capo on the 5th fret and play the shapes G, Am, Em, C, D (100% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 80% without a capo).

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