Johnny Mandel - Suicide Is Painless Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
[Opening]
[Em7]Through early morning [A7]fog I see, [D]visions of the [Bm]things to be
The [Em]pains that are with [A7]held for me,
I [D]realize and [Bm7]I can see [B7]
That [Em7]suicide is [A7]painless,
it [D]brings on many [Bm7]changes
And [G7]I can [F#m]take or [Em]leave it [A7]if I [Bm]please [Bm]
[verse 2]
I [Em7]try to find a [A7]way to make [D]all our little [Bm]joys relate
[Em]Without that ever [A7]present hate.
But [D]now I know that [Bm7]it’s too late,
and [B7]that [Em7]suicide is [A7]painless it [D]brings on many [Bm7]changes
And [G7]I can [F#m]take or [Em]leave it [A7]if I [Bm]please [Bm]
[verse 3]
The [Em7]game of life is [A7]hard to play, [D]I’m gonna lose it [Bm7]anyway
[Em]The losing card I’ll [A7]someday lay, so [D]this is all I have to [Bm7]say [B7]
That [Em7]suicide is [A7]painless, it [D]brings on many [Bm7]changes
And [G7]I can [F#m]take or [Em]leave it [A7]if I [Bm]please [Bm]
[verse 4]
[Em7]The only way to win is [A7]cheat
And [D]lay it down [Bm7]before I’m beat
And [Em]to another [A7]give my seat
For [D]that’s the only painless [Bm7]feat [B7]
That [Em7]suicide is [A7]painless, it [D]brings on many [Bm7]changes
And [G7]I can [F#m]take or [Em]leave it [A7]if I [Bm]please [Bm]
[verse 5]
The [Em7]sword of time will [A7]pierce our skins
It [D]doesn’t hurt when [Bm7]it begins
But [Em]as it works its [A7]way on in
The [D]pain grows [Bm7]stronger watch it grin,[B7]
That [Em7]suicide is [A7]painless, it [D]brings on many [Bm7]changes
And [G7]I can [F#m]take or [Em]leave it [A7]if I [Bm]please [Bm]
[verse 6]
A [Em7]brave man once [A7]requested me
To [D]answer questions [Bm7]that are key
Is [Em]it to be or [A7]not to be ?
And [D]I replied “Oh, [Bm7]why ask me?” [B7]
That [Em7]suicide is [A7]painless, it [D]brings on many [Bm7]changes
And [G7]I can [F#m]take or [Em]leave it [A7]if I [Bm]please [Bm]
[Closing]
And you can [F#m]do the [Em]same thing, [A7]if you [Bm]please [Bm]
How to play Suicide Is Painless on Guitar (Step-by-step)
Johnny Mandel - Suicide Is Painless on guitar requires 9 chords and 15 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.
Suicide Is Painless uses these transitions most often: A7 → D (18), D → Bm7 (16), and Em → A7 (13). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with Em7 - A7 chord transition.
1. Em7 → A7 chord transition
To move from Em7 to A7;
- Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 2.
- Place index finger on D string fret 2.
2. A7 → D chord transition
To move from A7 to D;
- Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from B string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on B string fret 3.
3. D → Bm chord transition
To move from D to Bm;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to B string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 4.
- Place pinky on G string fret 4.
4. Bm → Em chord transition
To move from Bm to Em;
- While playing Bm, first lift your index finger and pinky.
- Lift your middle finger from B string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger on D string from fret 4 to fret 2.
5. Em → A7 chord transition
To move from Em to A7;
- While playing Em, lift your ring finger from D string fret 2.
- Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 2.
- Place index finger on D string fret 2.
6. D → Bm7 chord transition
To move from D to Bm7;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to B string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 4.
7. Bm7 → B7 chord transition
To move from Bm7 to B7;
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from B string fret 3 to A string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from D string fret 4 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Place pinky on E string fret 2.
8. B7 → Em7 chord transition
To move from B7 to Em7;
- While playing B7, first lift your index finger, ring finger, and pinky.
- Keep middle finger on A string fret 2.
9. Bm7 → G7 chord transition
To move from Bm7 to G7;
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from B string fret 3 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from D string fret 4 and place it on E string fret 1.
10. G7 → F#m chord transition
To move from G7 to F#m;
- While playing G7, lift your middle finger from E string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from E string fret 1 to A string fret 4.
- Place pinky on D string fret 4.
11. F#m → Em chord transition
To move from F#m to Em;
- While playing F#m, first lift your index finger and pinky.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 4 and place it on D string fret 2.
- Place middle finger on A string fret 2.
12. A7 → Bm chord transition
To move from A7 to Bm;
- Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger on B string from fret 2 to fret 3.
- Place ring finger on D string fret 4.
- Place pinky on G string fret 4.
13. Bm → Em7 chord transition
To move from Bm to Em7;
- While playing Bm, first lift your index finger, ring finger, and pinky.
- Lift your middle finger from B string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 2.
14. Bm7 → Em chord transition
To move from Bm7 to Em;
- While playing Bm7, lift your index finger from E string fret 2.
- Lift your middle finger from B string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger on D string from fret 4 to fret 2.
15. Bm → F#m chord transition
To move from Bm to F#m;
- While playing Bm, lift your middle finger from B string fret 3.
- Keep index finger on E string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from D string fret 4 and place it on A string fret 4.
- Slide your pinky from G string fret 4 to D string fret 4.
Suicide Is Painless chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Suicide Is Painless.
- Suicide Is Painless includes 111 chord transitions, 15 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- Suicide Is Painless contains 1 of the top 25 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how Suicide Is Painless connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After A7, the most likely next chords across Chordier are D (41%), D7 (18%), and Dm (13%).
- A7 → D: 41%
- A7 → Bm: 1%
After D, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).- D → Bm: 5%
- D → Bm7: 0%