John Mayer – Driftin Chords on Piano & Ukulele

John Mayer – Driftin Chords on Piano & Ukulele

ChordsEmCGD/F#

Key
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[Intro]
Em C G D/F#
Em C G D/F#

[Verse 1]

Em                      C
  Time is space and

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 I'm out of place
G                     D/F#
  Don't recognize a single face
Em                     C
  By now I should have won
the race
      G
But I haven't found
         D/F#
 a home

Em
  Seems to me if you go
 C
 catch that vine
G
  And swing to the next
      D/F#
 tree branch in time
Em
   The years add up and
     C
you fall behind
           G
And you're left to
                D/F#
 walk alone
          Em
So I'm drifting I'm
     C              G   D/F#
drifting I'm drifting
          Em
Yeah I'm drifting and
         C
I'm drifting and I'm
       G          D/F#
drifting

[Chorus]

       Em              C
Meet a stranger, tag along
      G                      D/F#
Maybe smoke a cigarette all wrong
       Em             C
Tell a story, sing a song
        G                  D/F#
Lay my head where it don't belong

Em           C
Somehow it occurs to me
     G                D/F#
That out here on the deep blue sea
          Em            C
There are other people drifting too
      G             D/F#
Maybe someday baby I'll
               Em   C
drift into you
      G             D/F#
Maybe someday baby I'll
drift into you

[Verse 2]
Em                    C
  Called my shrink the other day
G                   D/F#
  Forgot what I was gonna say
     Em              C
So I lied and said I lost my way
       G                      D/F#
'Cus I couldn't let him down

Em               C
  Put my leather jacket on
G                     D/F#
  To play the part of bad boy John
Em                     C
  The broken heart and vagabond
    G                    D/F#
And wandered into town
         Em
'Cus I'm drifting yeah
         C
 I'm drifting yeah I'm
     G          D/F#
drifting
         Em
Yeah I'm drifting yeah I'm
     C
drifting I'm drifting
 G          D/F#

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

[Chorus]
       Em              C
Meet a stranger, tag along
      G                      D/F#
Maybe smoke a cigarette all wrong
       Em             C
Tell a story, sing a song
        G                  D/F#
Lay my head where it don't belong

Em           C
Somehow it occurs to me
     G                D/F#
That out here on the deep
blue sea
          Em            C
There are other people drifting too
      G              D/F#
Maybe someday baby I'll drift
          Em   C
 into you
      G
Maybe someday baby
   D/F#
I'll drift into you

[Bridge]
Em
For the moment 'till
     C
the moment is gone
G
Lonesome is the road
           D/F#
I've been travellin on
     Em
I've gone where I wanted
         C
I don't miss anyone
         G
'Cus I'm drifting
             D/F#
Em
Tryna write a story but
     C
 I'm stuck on a page
G
God it's been so long
         D/F#
 I can't remember my age
    Em
I'm lost till the minute
         C
that I step on the stage
           G        D/F#
'Cus I'm drifting
           Em
And I'm drifting
 C     G    D/F#

[Chorus]

       Em              C
Meet a stranger, tag along
      G                      D/F#
Maybe smoke a cigarette all wrong
       Em             C
Tell a story, sing a song
        G                  D/F#
Lay my head where it don't belong

Em           C
Somehow it occurs to me
     G
That out here on the
  D/F#
 deep blue sea
          Em
There are other people
  C
 drifting too
      G              D/F#
Maybe someday baby I'll drift
          Em   C
 into you
      G              D/F#
Maybe someday baby I'll drift
           Em   C
into you
      G              D/F#
Maybe someday baby I'll drift
 into you

How to play Driftin: key, chords and progression

These are Driftin chords by John Mayer on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard.

To play Driftin by John Mayer, think in E minor (one sharp: F♯). It takes 4 chords: Em, C, G and D/F#.

The progression the song keeps returning to is Em – C – G – D/F# (i – VI – III – VII in E minor), the epic minor progression (i–VI–III–VII) used in many anthems. Learn these 4 changes first and most of the song falls into place.

Beginner-friendly: on guitar every chord is an open shape, which makes this a good song to learn early on.

Chord diagrams

Em chord on guitar (022000)
EmE G B
C chord on guitar (x32010)
CC E G
G chord on guitar (320003)
GG B D
D chord on guitar (xx0232)
DD F♯ A

Driftin chords: questions

What key is Driftin in?

Driftin by John Mayer is in the key of E minor (one sharp: F♯).

What chords are in Driftin?

Driftin uses 4 chords: Em, C, G, D/F#.

What is the chord progression of Driftin?

The main progression is Em – C – G – D/F# (i – VI – III – VII), the epic minor progression (i–VI–III–VII) used in many anthems.

Is Driftin easy to play on guitar?

Yes. Every chord is an open chord, so it suits beginners.

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