Oct112021

Sam Fender – Pretending That You’re Dead Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

ChordsD A Em G

KeyKeyCapo

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These are the chords for Pretending That You’re Dead by Sam Fender on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard.

[Intro]
 D  A  Em  G  2x

[Verse 1]
     D
Can't see through my letterbox
 A                   Em
For piles of letters
     G
And I can't get out my door
D
 The bailiffs come
             A
But I don't care 'bout that
Em               G
 And everybody's asking
      D     A
me tonight
Em           G
 Everybody's asking me
           D     A
 if I'm alright
Em
 But I don't have the
  G
guts to say it

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[Chorus]
G
 Is it really her and him?
D
 Do you think that
           A
they are doin' it?
Em               G
 I'm lyin' in my empty bed
D                        A
 Pretending that you're dead

[Instrumental]
D   A  Em   G

[Verse 2]
    D
I write the news from
       A
 everybody's lips
   Em
I saw you on the walkway with
      G
 his hands on your hips
       D
And I called it out, and said,
        A
 "With my best friend?"
         Em
You said, "You should
              G
probably leave"
  D     A
Tonight,
Em           G
 Everybody's asking me
          D     A
if I'm alright
Em                     G
 And I don't have the words to say

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

[Chorus]
G
 Is it really her and him?
D
 Do you think that
           A
they are doin' it?
Em               G
 I'm lyin' in my empty bed
D                        A
 Pretending that you're dead
G
 Is it really her and him?
D
 Do you think that they
      A
are doin' it?
Em               G
 I'm lyin' in my empty bed
D
 Pretending that
         A      D    A
you're dead

[Outro]
Em           G
 Everybody's asking
             D      A
 me if I'm alright
Em           G
 Everybody's asking
           D       A    Em
 me if I'm alright
G           D
 I'm not alright
  A    Em    G    D

How to play Pretending That You’re Dead: key, chords and progression

To play Pretending That You’re Dead by Sam Fender, think in D major (two sharps: F♯, C♯). It takes 4 chords: D, A, Em and G.

The progression the song keeps returning to is D – A – Em – G (I – V – ii – IV in D major). In solfa, that is doh – soh – reh – fah. Learn these 4 changes first and most of the song falls into place.

Beginner-friendly: every chord is an open chord on guitar, so you can play it without a capo or barre chords.