May42019

Vampire Weekend – Stranger Piano & Ukulele Chord Progression and Tab

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This is the chord progression of Stranger by Vampire Weekend on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar and Keyboard.

[Chorus]
C D G C
I-I-I, things have never been stranger
C D G C
I-I-I, things are gonna stay strange
C D G C
I-I-I, I remember life as a stranger
C D G C G
I-I-I, but things change
G C G
C Em
G D G

[Verse 1]
G C G
Another night indoors,
G C G C Em
Another sign of life-ife
G D G
Wobbling up through the floor
G C G
You and Kidada
G C G C Em
Ooh, I might get low, low, low
G D G
But now I’m too high to know
G C G
The sound of you and your sister

G C G
I couldn’t face these days alone
C Em
You got the right light, candles burning
G D G
We don’t need the moon anymore
G C G
I used to look for an answer
G C G
I used to knock on every door
C Em
But you got the wave on, music playing
G D G
Don’t need to look anymore

[Chorus]
C D G C
I-I-I, things have never been stranger
C D G C
I-I-I, things are gonna stay strange
C D G C
I-I-I, I remember life as a stranger
C D
I-I-I, but things change

[Verse 2]
G C G
You and Kidada
G C G C Em
Ooh, the lights get low, low, low
G D G
And I got nowhere to go
G C G
I used to freeze on the dance floor
G C G
I watched the icebergs from the shore
C Em
But you got the heat on, kettle screaming
G D G
Don’t need to freeze anymore

[Solo]
G C G
G C G
C Em
G D G

[Chorus]
C D G C
I-I-I, things have never been stranger
C D G C
I-I-I, things are gonna stay strange
C D G C
I-I-I, I remember life as a stranger
C D
I-I-I, but things change

[Bridge]
G C D G
Who knows the reason that kindness lost its hold?
G C Am D
Those better angels confined to minor roles
G C D G
I left the wilding, wilding, wilding days of old
G C Am D
Your house is warmer the wilderness is cold

[Chorus]
C D G C
Things have never been stranger
C D G C
Things are gonna stay strange
C D G C
I-I-I, I remember life as a stranger
C D G C
I-I-I, but things change
C D G C
Things have never been stranger
C D G C
Things are gonna stay strange
C D G C
I remember life as a stranger
C D G
I-I-I, but things change

[Outro]
G C D
Ooh
G C D G
Things have never been stranger (Ooh)
G C D G
Things are gonna stay strange (Ooh)
G C D G
I remember life as a stranger (I-I-I…)

How to play Stranger: key, chords and progression

Stranger by Vampire Weekend keeps coming home to G major (one sharp: F♯). You need 5 chords: C, D, G, Em and Am.

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

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