Dec12022

Olivia Newton-John & Elton John – The Rumour Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

KeyKeyCapo

View

[Intro]
F F7 Bb Eb F
  F F7 Bb Eb F

[Verse]
F
This is the last time
I'll look across this table
            F7
And try to face a feeling
               Bb
 I don't even recognize
C
This is a sad hand
That reached across
 and touched you
                     C7
When all we'd built around
                  F
us came crashing to
             F7
the ground

[Verse]
F
There was a tide turning

Somewhere deep inside us
               F7
When all these years together
             Bb
 seem lost behind my tears

C
Oh there were good times

But in between the dog days
                   C7
I felt the pain of rumour
          F
whisper in my ears

[Chorus]
       Cm
But I still tried
to love you
D7               Gm7
I still tried to care
Bbm
Still tried to hold on
                     F
with the power of my prayers
        Cm
But you can't fight
the rumour
    D7
You can't argue with
     Gm7   Bbm
you heart, no
F                Bb
Once the rumour spreads,
 F                Bb
once the rumour spreads

Check out Musical Tips from our BLOG

F                Bb
Once the rumour spreads,
     Bbm
the truth is just a
              F
thing of the past
F F7 Bb Eb F

[Verse]
F
As the rain falls

I listen to the radio
           F7
And try to memorize the
                   Bb
words to "Georgia On My Mind"
C
But we're no old song

We never stood the test of time
           C7
The lies inside the rumour
               F
left trust so far behind

[Chorus]
F7     Cm
But I still tried to love you
D7               Gm7
I still tried to care
Bbm
Still tried to hold on with
                 F
 the power of my prayers
F7      Cm
But you can't fight the rumour
D7                       Gm7    Bbm
You can't argue with you heart, no
F                Bb
Once the rumour spreads,
  F                Bb
 once the rumour spreads
F                Bb
Once the rumour spreads,
     Bbm
the truth is just a
               F
 thing of the past
F F7 Bb Eb F

[Bridge]
Ab                  Eb
And when we say goodbye
Bb                 F
Be sure to look me in the eye
Ab                Eb
And know the real secret
       Gm7
Was the thing we didn't
C
have to hide

[Chorus]
       Cm
But I still tried
to love you
D7               Gm7
I still tried to care
Bbm
Still tried to hold on
                      F
with the power of my prayers
        Cm
But you can't fight
the rumour
D7
You can't argue with
      Gm7    Bbm
you heart, no
F                Bb
Once the rumour spreads,
 F                Bb
 once the rumour spreads
F                Bb
Once the rumour spreads,
     Bbm
 the truth is just a thing
        F
 of the past

F F7 Bb Eb F
F                Bb
Once the rumour spreads,
 F                Bb
 once the rumour spreads
F                Bb
Once the rumour spreads,
     Bbm
 the truth is just a thing
of  (is jus a thing of)
The truth is just a
              F
thing of the past

How to play The Rumour: key, chords and progression

These are The Rumour chords by Olivia Newton-John with Elton John on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard.

To play The Rumour by Olivia Newton-John & Elton John, think in B♭ major (two flats: B♭, E♭). It takes 11 chords: F, F7, Bb, Eb, C, C7, Cm, D7, Gm7, Bbm and Ab.

Listen for Cm – D7 – Gm7 – Bbm (ii – III7 – vi7 – i in B♭ major): the song comes back to it again and again. In solfa, that is reh – mi – lah – doh. Once these 4 changes are comfortable, most of the song is done.

Easier on guitar: put a capo on the 3rd fret and play the shapes D, D7, G, C, A, A7, Am, B7, Em7, Gm (82% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 27% without a capo). It sounds exactly the same.

Chord diagrams

F7 chord on guitar (131211) — F7F A C E♭

C7 chord on guitar (x32310) — C7C E G B♭

D7 chord on guitar (xx0212) — D7D F♯ A C

Gm7 chord on guitar (353333) — Gm7G B♭ D F

Bbm chord on guitar (x13321) — B♭mB♭ D♭ F

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

The Rumour chords: questions

What key is The Rumour in?

The Rumour by Olivia Newton-John & Elton John is in the key of B♭ major (two flats: B♭, E♭).

What chords are in The Rumour?

The Rumour uses 11 chords: F, F7, Bb, Eb, C, C7, Cm, D7, Gm7, Bbm, Ab.

What is the chord progression of The Rumour?

The main progression is Cm – D7 – Gm7 – Bbm (ii – III7 – vi7 – i).

Is The Rumour easy to play on guitar?

Yes, with a capo: put a capo on the 3rd fret and play the shapes D, D7, G, C, A, A7, Am, B7, Em7, Gm (82% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 27% without a capo).

How to play The Rumour: key, chords and progression

Chord diagrams

The Rumour chords: questions

New chords in your inbox