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Adele - When We Were Young Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsAm, Em, F, C, Dm, G, Fm
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

[Opening]
[Am] [Em] [F] [C] [Dm] [C]
[Am]Everybody [Em]loves the things you [F]do [C]
From the way you [Dm]talk to the way you [C]move
[Am]Everybody [Em]here is [F]watching you [C]
‘Cause you feel like [Dm]home, you’re like a dream [C]come true [C] [C]

[verse 2]
[Am]But if by [Em]chance you’re here [F]alone [C]
Can I have a [Dm]moment before I [C]go [C] [C]
[Am]’Cause I’ve been by [Em]myself all night [F]long [C]
Hoping you’re [Dm]someone I used to [G]know [G]

[chorus]
You look like a [F]movie [G]you sound like a [Em]song. [F]
My God this [F]reminds me [G]of when we were [Em]young. [G]

[chorus]
Let me [C]photograph you [Em]in.
This light, in [F]case it is the [G]last time.
That we [C]might be [Em]exactly like we [F]were before we [G]realized.
We were [Am]sad of getting [C]old, it made us [F]restless. [Fm]
It was just like a [Dm]movie, [F]it was just like a [G]song. [G]

[verse 3]
[Am]I was so [Em]scared to face my [F]fears [C]
‘Cause nobody [Dm]told me that you’d be [C]here [C] [C]
[Am]And I swear [Em]you moved [F]overseas [C]
That’s what [Dm]you said when you left [G]me [G]

[chorus]
You look like a [F]movie [G]you sound like a [Em]song. [F]
My God this [F]reminds me [G]of when we were [Em]young. [G]

[chorus]
Let me [C]photograph you [Em]in.
This light, in [F]case it is the [G]last time.
That we [C]might be [Em]exactly like we [F]were before we [G]realized.
We were [Am]sad of getting [C]old, it made us [F]restless. [Fm]
It was just like a [Dm]movie, [F]it was just like a [G]song. [G]

[chorus]
When [Am]we were young [C]when [F]we were young [C]
When [Am]we were young [C]when [F]we were young [G]

[verse 4]
It’s [Am]hard to [C]admit that, [F]everything just [C]takes me back
To when [Dm]you were there, to when [G]you were there [G]
And a [Am]part of me keeps [C]holding on, [F]just in case it [C]hasn’t gone
I guess [Dm]I still care, do [G]you still care?

[verse 5]
It was just like a [F]movie [G]it was just like a [Em]song [F]
My God this [F]reminds me [G]of when we were [Em]young [G]

[chorus]
When [C]we were young [Em]when [F]we were young [G]
When [C]we were young [Em]when [F]we were young [G]

[Closing]
Let me [C]photograph you [Em]in this light, in [F]case it is the [G]last time
That we [C]might be [Em]exactly like we [F]were before we [G]realized
We were [Am]sad of getting [C]old, it made us [F] [G]restless
Oh, I’m so [Am]mad I’m getting [C]old, it makes me [F]reckless [Fm]
It was just like a [Dm]movie, [F]it was just like a [G]song [G]
When we were [C]young

SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
ArtistAdele
Album25
GenresPop
Year2015
KeyAm
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play When We Were Young on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Adele - When We Were Young on guitar requires 7 chords and 14 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.

When We Were Young uses these transitions most often: F → G (19), Em → F (18), and F → C (10). 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 Am - Em chord transition.

1. Am → Em chord transition

Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram

To move from Am to Em;

  1. While playing Am, lift your index finger from B string fret 1.
  2. Lift your middle finger from D string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
Am to Em

2. Em → F chord transition

Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram

To move from Em to F;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 3.
  3. Place index finger on E string fret 1.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.
Em to F

3. F → C chord transition

Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram

To move from F to C;

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  4. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
F to C

4. C → Dm chord transition

Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar Dm chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-1Guitar Dm chord diagram

To move from C to Dm;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.
C to Dm

5. C → Am chord transition

To move from C to Am;

  1. Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.

6. Dm → G chord transition

To move from Dm to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.

7. G → F chord transition

To move from G to F;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

8. G → Em chord transition

To move from G to Em;

  1. While playing G, lift your index finger from A string fret 2.
  2. Lift your middle finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.

9. G → C chord transition

To move from G to C;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.

10. C → Em chord transition

To move from C to Em;

  1. While playing C, lift your index finger from B string fret 1.
  2. Lift your middle finger from D string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to D string fret 2.

11. G → Am chord transition

To move from G to Am;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.

12. F → Fm chord transition

To move from F to Fm;

  1. While playing F, lift your middle finger from G string fret 2.
  2. Keep index finger on E string fret 1.
  3. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  4. Keep pinky on D string fret 3.

13. Fm → Dm chord transition

To move from Fm to Dm;

  1. While playing Fm, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  3. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to B string fret 3.
  4. Place middle finger on G string fret 2.

14. Dm → F chord transition

To move from Dm to F;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from B string fret 3 to A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

When We Were Young chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in When We Were Young.

  • When We Were Young includes 140 chord transitions, 14 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • When We Were Young contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how When We Were Young connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → F: 16%
    • C → Am: 10%
    After F, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (40%), G (21%), and Am (11%).
    • F → C: 40%
    • F → G: 21%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.