The National – Light Years Piano & Ukulele Chord Progression and Tab

The National – Light Years Piano & Ukulele Chord Progression and Tab

ChordsF#mAEB

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This is the chord progression of Light Years by The National on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar and Keyboard.

[Intro]
|F#m |A |E |B |

[Verse 1]
F#m                                                  A
You were waiting outside for me… in the sun
E                                                                 B
Laying down to soak it all in… before we had to run
F#m                                                                 A
I was always ten feet behind you… from the start
E                                                 B
Didn’t know you were gone…’til we were in the car

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[Chorus]
A                                                 E
Oh, the glory of it all… was lost on me
A                                                                                 B
‘Til I saw how hard it’d be to reach you, and I would always be
A                                                                 E
Light years, light years away from you
A                                                 B
Light years, light years away from you

[Verse 2]
F#m                                                 A
I thought I saw your mother last weekend… in the park
E                                                 B
It could’ve been anybody… it was after dark
F#m                                                 A
Everyone was lighting up in the shadows… alone
E                                                                 B
You could’ve been right there next to me… and I’d have never known

[Chorus]
A                                                 E
Oh, the glory of it all… was lost on me
A                                                                 B
‘Til I saw how hard it’d be to reach you, and I would always be
A                                                 E
Light years, light years away from you
A                                                                 B
Light years, light years away from you
A                                                 E
Light years, light years away from you
A                                                                 B
Light years, light years away from you

[Outro]
|F#m |A |E |B | x3

How to play Light Years: key, chords and progression

Light Years by The National is in the key of E major (four sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯). The song uses 4 chords: F#m, A, E and B.

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

Easier on guitar: put a capo on the 2nd fret and play the shapes Em, G, D, A (100% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 50% without a capo). It sounds exactly the same.

Chord diagrams

F#m chord on guitar (244222)
F♯mF♯ A C♯
A chord on guitar (x02220)
AA C♯ E
E chord on guitar (022100)
EE G♯ B
B chord on guitar (x24442)
BB D♯ F♯

Need another chord or a different shape? Feel free to use our free Chord Shape Generator.

Light Years chords: questions

What key is Light Years in?

Light Years by The National is in the key of E major (four sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯).

What chords are in Light Years?

Light Years uses 4 chords: F#m, A, E, B.

What is the chord progression of Light Years?

The main progression is F#m – A – E – B (ii – IV – I – V).

Is Light Years easy to play on guitar?

Yes, with a capo: put a capo on the 2nd fret and play the shapes Em, G, D, A (100% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 50% without a capo).

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