Mar232022

Matt Maltese – Bad Contestant Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

ChordsG B7 Em A7 C A/C#G/DAm Am7B7/EbEm7

KeyKeyCapo

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[Intro]
G B7 Em A7 (x2)

[Verse 1]
G      B7
I'm a toothache
Em       A7
I'm the saddest case
G         B7            Em
I'm often looking round for
        A7
my next mistake
G         B7
I'm your garden waste
Em        A7
I've left no trace
G        B7
I'm only here for some
Em            A7
hollow math debate

[Chorus]
      G    B7           Em A7
I'm a bad, bad contestant
        G
I ain't much but baby
B7            C A/C#
I could impress ya
      G    B7            Em A7
I'm a bad, bad contestant
           G
I ain't no prince of
     B7       C    A/C#
love but give me a second
G B7 Em A7 (x2)

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[Verse 2]
G     B7        Em       A7
I'm a dead end, a budget hotel
G          B7      Em
I'm pretty good at feeling
      A7
sorry for myself
G     B7
I'm a deck chair
Em         A7
Your cheap underwear
G     B7            Em
A bad Christian who never
        A7
goes to prayer

[Chorus]
      G    B7           Em A7
I'm a bad, bad contestant
        G       B7
I ain't much but baby
        C         A/C#
I could impress ya
      G    B7            Em A7
I'm a bad, bad contestant
           G       B7
I ain't no prince of love
       C         A/C#
but give me a second

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

[Bridge]
C          G
And if you want funny
B7              Em
I could be your jester honey
C          G           B7
And if you want rock n roll
            Em             C
I can stop playing my slow songs
       G          B7
If you want conversation
          Em                   A7
I'll stay up with you all night

[Chorus]
      G    B7            C A/C#
I'm a bad, bad contestant
       G/D
I'd go home with the
 B7           Am   Am7
lowest prize on TV
  G    B7        C A/C#
A bad, bad contestant
        G/D         B7/Eb
You can find me finishing
        Em7    A7
off the empties

[Outro]
         G    B7           Em A7
(He's a bad, bad contestant)
        G       B7
I ain't much but baby
        C         A/C#
I could impress you
        G    B7           Em A7
(He's a bad, bad contestant)
             G       B7
They say the underdogs are
        C         A/C#
always the best ones

How to play Bad Contestant: key, chords and progression

These are the chords for Bad Contestant by Matt Maltese on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard

Bad Contestant by Matt Maltese is in the key of G major (one sharp: F♯). The song uses 11 chords: G, B7, Em, A7, C, A/C#, G/D, Am, Am7, B7/Eb and Em7.

Listen for G – B7 – Em – A7 (I – III7 – vi – II7 in G major): the song comes back to it again and again. In solfa, that is doh – mi – lah – reh. Once these 4 changes are comfortable, most of the song is done.

Beginner-friendly: every chord here is an open shape on guitar: no capo, no barre chords needed.