Apr222022

Glenn Frey – Desperado Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

   [Intro]
G   G7   C   Cm6
G   Em   A7  D

   [Verse 1]
        G  G9
Desperado, why don't
    C            Cm6
you come to your senses?
             G         Em7
You been out ridin' fences
    A7         D7
for so long now
             G
Oh, you're a hard one
      Gsus2            C
But I know that you've got
            Cm6
your reasons
      G/D              Em7
These things that are pleasin' you
    A7       D7      G    D5
Can hurt you somehow

   [Chorus]
          Em
Don't you draw the queen
      Bm7
of diamonds, boy
       C                     G  G/F#
She'll beat you if she's able
         Em7
Know the queen of hearts
   C                G   D5
is always your best bet
         Em
Well, it seems to me,
          Bm7
some fine things
          C              G
Have been laid upon your table
        Em
But you only want the
       A7                C/D
things that you can't get

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   [Verse 2]
D  D7  G   Dm7
Desperado, you know you
      C                 Bm
ain't gettin' no younger
Am   G        D5      Em
Your pain and your hunger,
A7          D7
drivin' you home
    G           Dm7
And freedom, oh freedom
                  C
Well, that's just some
              Bm
people talkin'
Am   G      B7     Em
Your prison is walking
             A7        D7    G
Through this world all alone

   [Chorus]
D5             Em
And don't your feet get
            Bm7
cold in the winter time?
    C
The sky won't snow,
        G         D5
and the sun won't shine
     Em
It's hard to tell the
      C             G
night-time from the day
       Em              Bm7
You're losin' all your highs
and lows
         C
Ain't it funny how the
G            Am7    Am7/D
feelin' goes away?

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

   [Verse 3]
D  D7   G  Dm7
Desperado, why don't
    C            Cm6
you come to your senses?
     G         D5      Em
Come down from your fences,
A7           D7
open the gate
          G        Dm7
It may be rainin', but there's
  C                Cm6
a rainbow above you
           G       B7
You better let somebody
     Em   C   G/B      Am
love you (let somebody love you)
G/D     B7        Em
Let somebody love you,
Am7             G
before it's too late

   [Outro]
G   G7   C   Cm6    G

How to play Desperado: key, chords and progression

These are the chords for Desperado by Glenn Frey on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard

Desperado by Glenn Frey is in the key of G major (one sharp: F♯). The song uses 23 chords: G, G7, C, Cm6, Em, A7, D, G9, Em7, D7, Gsus2 and G/D and 11 more.

The backbone of the song is Em – Bm7 – C – G (vi – iii7 – IV – I in G major). In solfa, that is lah – mi – fah – doh. Practise these 4 changes until they feel natural and you can play most of it.

Good to know: Cm6, G9, Gsus2, Bm7 and Bm are the tricky part on guitar (barre or movable shapes). Slow the change down until it is clean; on piano and ukulele they are simpler.