Mitski – Lightning Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Mitski – Lightning Chords on Piano & Ukulele

ChordsADBC#mEG#mF#mG#

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These are Lightning chords by Mitski for Piano and Ukulele.

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[Intro]
A D A D

[Verse 1]
A                   D
Lightning hits so close
        A              D
Sounded like a big tin can
A             D
All hail the rain
A   B        C#m
All hail the rain
A            B             C#m
Running like ghosts on the roof
A                    B      
Running like they're feeling 
  D      E
alive again

[Chorus]
A
Here we are
      B               G#m        A
We've been waiting to be born again
[Instrument]
A D A D

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[Verse 2]
A         D
  When I die
A   B     C#m
  When I die
A            B            C#m
Could I come back as the rain?
A              B        C#m   F#m
See the world again, to fall again?

[Bridge]
A                  B
If I'm dark, all the better
       G#           A
To reflect the moonlight
A                B
If I mourn, all the better
     G#           A
To behold the sunrise

[Instrument]
A   B   D E
F#m G#m A A
A   D   A D

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[Verse 3]
A              B          C#m
I can hear the song of my death
A               B            C#m
Singing for the lightning to come
A              B      D
Calling to the thunder
     E
"Polo"

How to play Lightning: key, chords and progression

Lightning by Mitski is centred on E major (four sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯). The song uses 8 chords: A, D, B, C#m, E, G#m, F#m and G#.

The progression the song keeps returning to is A – B – C#m – A (IV – V – vi – IV in E major). In solfa, that is fah – soh – lah – fah. 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 G, C, A, Bm, D, F#m, Em, F# (63% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 38% without a capo). It sounds exactly the same.

Chord diagrams

A chord on guitar (x02220)
AA C♯ E
D chord on guitar (xx0232)
DD F♯ A
B chord on guitar (x24442)
BB D♯ F♯
C#m chord on guitar (x46654)
C♯mC♯ E G♯
E chord on guitar (022100)
EE G♯ B
G#m chord on guitar (466444)
G♯mG♯ B D♯
F#m chord on guitar (244222)
F♯mF♯ A C♯
G# chord on guitar (466544)
G♯G♯ B♯ D♯

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

Lightning chords: questions

What key is Lightning in?

Lightning by Mitski is centred on E major (four sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯).

What chords are in Lightning?

Lightning uses 8 chords: A, D, B, C#m, E, G#m, F#m, G#.

What is the chord progression of Lightning?

The main progression is A – B – C#m – A (IV – V – vi – IV).

Is Lightning easy to play on guitar?

Yes, with a capo: put a capo on the 2nd fret and play the shapes G, C, A, Bm, D, F#m, Em, F# (63% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 38% without a capo).

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