Oct162020

The Vamps – Protocol Chords on Piano & Ukulele

KeyKeyCapo

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[Verse 1]
    D                      D7
I remember the evenin' you said 
you were leavin'
G                            Bb
That's when I knew I had lost
   D
No room for forgiveness
    D7                     
Suitcase, frames, pictures, 
 G                     Bb
placed in the back of your car

[Pre-Chorus]
  Em
I won't tell my parents
      G
How I fucked up perfection
    Bm                   A
And selfishly put myself first
  Em                 G
A future of stories, kiss you 
good mornings
D                      A
Gone and it's what I deserve

[Chorus]
                 G        D
I can't find the words to say
             Bm              A
When someone asks how you've been
                 G     D      Bm     
I don't know the protocol for fixin' 
            A
a, fixin' a broken heart

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[Verse 2]
        D
When my friends hear the rumours
        D7
They'll tell me they knew that
G                          Bb
You were bad news from the start
      D
Every bar they take me
    D7
And try to matchmake me
     G                  
With someone who doesn't 
      Bb
come close, no

[Pre-Chorus]
    Em                     
You won't tell your mother 
       G
'cause she'll tell your 
father
    Bm                  
And that's just one more 
         A
broken heart 
(One more broken heart)
  Em                
A future of stories, 
 G
adventures, and journeys
D                        A
On fire and falling apart

[Chorus]
                 G        D
I can't find the words to say
             Bm         A
Someone asks how you've been
               G     D      
Don't know the protocol for 
Bm                 A
fixin' a, fixin' a broken 
heart
          G     D
Call your answerphone
                 Bm     A
Hope that you're not at home
               G     D      
Don't know the protocol for 
Bm                 A
fixin' a, fixin' a broken 
heart

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

[Instrumental]
G D Bm A
G D Bm A

[Bridge]
         D                 
When I'm all by myself and 
    D7
the drink doesn't help
         G
Take 'em down from the shelf
    Bb                          
And I'm reminded I keep 
fighting 
 D
walls in my head
         D7                
With the miles of regret, 
         G   
'cause I had every letter, 
but now

[Chorus]
                 G        D
I can't find the words to say
             Bm         A
Someone asks how you've been
               G     D      
Don't know the protocol for 
Bm                 A
fixin' a, fixin' a broken 
heart
          G     D
Call your answerphone
                 Bm     A
Hope that you're not at home
               G     D      
Don't know the protocol for 
Bm                 
fixin' a, fixin' a 
       A    G D
broken heart
 Bm                        A
(Fixin' a, fixin' a broken heart)

How to play Protocol: key, chords and progression

This is the chords of Protocol by The Vamps on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar and Keyboard.

Protocol by The Vamps is centred on D major (two sharps: F♯, C♯). The song uses 7 chords: D, D7, G, Bb, Em, Bm and A.

The backbone of the song is G – D – Bm – A (IV – I – vi – V in D major). In solfa, that is fah – doh – lah – soh. Practise these 4 changes until they feel natural and you can play most of it.

Good to know: Bb and Bm are played as barre or movable shapes on guitar. Practise the change into them slowly; on piano and ukulele the same chords are easier.