Aug232019

Taylor Swift – Cruel Summer Piano & Ukulele Chord Progression

KeyKeyCapo

View

This is the chords of Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar and Keyboard.

[Intro]
G

[Verse 1]
C D
Fever dream high in the quiet of the night
Bm Em
You know that I caught it (oh yeah, you’re right, I want it)
C D
Bad, bad boy, shiny toy with a price
Bm Em
You know that I bought it (oh yeah, you’re right, I want it)

[Pre-Chorus 1]
C D
Killing me slow, out the window
Bm Em
I’m always waiting for you to be waiting below
C
Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes
D
What doesn’t kill me makes me want you more

[Chorus 1]
G
And it’s new, the shape of your body
Bm
It’s blue, the feeling I’ve got
Em
And it’s ooh-ooh ooh whoa-oh
C
It’s a cruel summer
G
It’s cool, that’s what I tell ’em
Bm
No rules, unbreakable heaven
Em
But ooh-ooh ooh whoa-oh
C G
It’s a cruel summer, with you

[Verse 2]
C D Bm
Hang your head low in the glow of the vending machine
Em
I’m not buying (oh yeah, you’re right, I want it)
C D Bm
You say that we’ll just screw it up in these trying times
Em
We’re not trying (oh yeah, you’re right, I want it)

[Pre-Chorus 2]
C D
So cut the headlights, summer’s a knife
Bm Em
I’m always waiting for you just to cut to the bone
C
Devils roll the dice (dice), angels roll their eyes (eyes)
D
And if I bleed, you’ll be the last to know

[Chorus 2]
G
Oh it’s new, the shape of your body
Bm
It’s blue, the feeling I’ve got
Em
And it’s ooh-ooh ooh whoa-oh
C
It’s a cruel summer
G
It’s cool, that’s what I tell ’em
Bm
No rules, unbreakable heaven
Em
But ooh-ooh ooh whoa-oh
C (G)
It’s a cruel summer, with you

[Bridge]
G
I’m drunk in the back of the car
Bm
And I cried like a baby coming home from the bar (oh)
Em
Said I’m fine, but it wasn’t true
C
I don’t wanna keep secrets just to keep you
G
And I snuck in through the garden gate
Bm
Every night that summer just to seal my fate (oh)
Em
And I screamed for whatever it’s worth
C
“I love you,” ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?
He looks so pretty like a devil

[Chorus 3]
G
It’s new, the shape of your body
Bm
It’s blue, the feeling I’ve got
Em
And it’s ooh-ooh ooh whoa-oh
C
It’s a cruel summer
G
It’s cool, that’s what I tell ’em
Bm
No rules, unbreakable heaven
Em
But ooh-ooh ooh whoa-oh
C (G)
It’s a cruel summer, with you

[Outro]
G
I’m drunk in the back of the car
Bm
And I cried like a baby coming home from the bar (oh)
Em
Said I’m fine, but it wasn’t true
C
I don’t wanna keep secrets just to keep you
G
And I snuck in through the garden gate
Bm
Every night that summer just to seal my fate (oh)
Em
And I screamed for whatever it’s worth
C G
“I love you,” ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

How to play Cruel Summer: key, chords and progression

Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift is centred on G major (one sharp: F♯). The song uses 5 chords: G, C, D, Bm and Em.

Listen for G – Bm – Em – C (I – iii – vi – IV in G major): the song comes back to it again and again. In solfa, that is doh – mi – lah – fah. 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.