Feb232021

Middle Kids – Cellophane Brain Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

ChordsF C Am G E

KeyKeyCapo

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[Verse 1]
F              C
Never quite on time
 Am          G
Running late, running wild
 F             C
Looking up star signs
 Am              G
Eating apples on the train
            F                   C
I know you say it's alright as you
keep it inside
   Am             G
Hey, when did you realise there's
 F             C
no guy with a first prize
 Am         G
Waiting at the end

[Chorus]
C       Am
Cellophane
            G
You shake, you never change
 C     Am
Cellophane
               E
You're strange up in your brain
 F         C
Are you afraid
                      E
To stop and find the reason
F          C
Why you can't get away from it

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[Verse 2]
F              C
Moving up the coastline
 Am            G
Making deals, selling houses
 F             C
Promise of the good life
 Am                G
Compliance teams, bleak routinеs
 F                    C
Nothing more sad than a man who cries
 Am                  G
In his car, in the drivеway
 F      C          Am      G
Blue helium light blinking again

[Chorus]
C      Am
Cellophane
              G
You shake, you never change
C     Am
Cellophane
               E
You're strange up in your brain
F        C
Are you afraid
             E
To stop and find the reason
F              C
Why you can't get away from it
C      Am
Cellophane (Cellophane)
            G
You shake, you never change
 C     Am
Cellophane (Cellophane)
              E
You're strange up in your brain
 F      C
Are you afraid
                  E
To stop and find the reason
 F          C
Why you can't get away from it

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

[Bridge]
F
You think you're a black umbrella
G
Holding off the rain
Am
I think you're a silk white kite
C
Blowing off course again
F
You think you're a black umbrella
G
Holding off the rain
Am
I think you're a silk white kite
C
Blowing off course again

[Chorus]
C      Am
Cellophane
              G
You shake, you never change
C     Am
Cellophane
               E
You're strange up in your brain
F        C
Are you afraid
             E
To stop and find the reason
F              C
Why you can't get away from it

How to play Cellophane Brain: key, chords and progression

These are the chords for Cellophane Brain by Middle Kids on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard

Cellophane Brain by Middle Kids is written in C major (no sharps or flats) and moves through 5 chords: F, C, Am, G and E.

Listen for F – C – Am – G (IV – I – vi – V in C major): the song comes back to it again and again. In solfa, that is fah – doh – lah – soh. Once these 4 changes are comfortable, most of the song is done.

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