Chords + Lyrics | Teenage Dream
Intro
||: Ebmaj7 | Fsus4 :||
Verse 1
||: Ebmaj7 | Fsus4 :|| x4
You think I’m pretty without any makeup on.
You think I’m funny when I tell the punch line wrong.
I know you get me, so I let my walls come down, down.
Verse 2
||: Ebmaj7 (Gm7) | Fsus4 :|| x4
Before you met me, I was alright, but
things were kinda heavy, you brought me to life, now
every February. You’ll be my Valentine, Valentine
Bridge 1
| Ebmaj7 (Gm7) | Fsus4 | Ebmaj7 (Gm7) | Fsus4 |
Let’s go all the way tonight. No regrets, just love.
| Ebmaj7 (Gm7) | Fsus4 | Ebmaj7 (Gm7) | Fsus4 N.C |
We can dance, until we die. You and I, will be young forever.
Chorus 1
||: Ebmaj7 (Gm7) | Fsus4 | Ebmaj7 (Gm7) | Fsus4 :||
You make me feel like I’m live in a, teenage dream, the way you turn me on.
I can’t sleep, let’s run away and don’t ever look back, don’t ever look back.
My heart stops when you look at me. Just one touch, now, baby, I believe.
This is real, so take a chance and don’t ever look back, don’t ever look back.
Verse 3 (as verse 2)
We drove to Cali and got drunk on the beach.
Got a motel and built a fort out of sheets.
I finally found you, my missing puzzle piece, I’m complete.
Bridge 2
Let’s go all the way tonight. No regrets, just love.
We can dance, until we die. You and I, will be young forever.
Chorus 2
You make me feel like I’m live in a, teenage dream, the way you turn me on.
I can’t sleep, let’s run away and don’t ever look back, don’t ever look back.
My heart stops when you look at me. Just one touch, now, baby, I believe.
This is real, so take a chance and don’t ever look back, don’t ever look back.
Middle 8
||: Ebmaj7 (Gm7) | Fsus4 | Ebmaj7 (Gm7) | Fsus4 :||
I’ma get your heart racing in my skin-tight jeans, be your teenage dream tonight.
Let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans, be your teenage dream tonight
(Tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight)
Chorus 2
You make me feel like I’m live in a, teenage dream, the way you turn me on.
I can’t sleep, let’s run away and don’t ever look back, don’t ever look back.
My heart stops when you look at me. Just one touch, now, baby, I believe.
This is real, so take a chance and don’t ever look back, don’t ever look back.
Outro (as middle 8)
||: Ebmaj7 (Gm7) | Fsus4 | Ebmaj7 (Gm7) | Fsus4 :||
I’ma get your heart racing in my skin-tight jeans, be your teenage dream tonight.
Let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans, be your teenage dream tonight
(Tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight)
Teenage Dream Chords: Unlocking the Magic of a Two-Chord Hit
At its core, Teenage Dream is a two-chord song, moving between IV and V. To add variation, the chords are extended, and a passing note in the bass is introduced.
Depending on whether you’re playing in a full band or solo on acoustic guitar, the chord arrangement needs slight adjustments.
The intro and verse loop these two chords:
||: Ebmaj7 (IV) | Fsus4 (V) :||
Since the song never lands on Bb (I), it leans towards the Lydian mode rather than a typical Ionian key.
Later, a Gm7 (VI) appears briefly, written like this above the lyrics:
||: Ebmaj7 (Gm7) | Fsus4 :||
In the chord chart below, it’s treated as a raised passing chord, which best captures its role.
I’ve also created TAB arrangements for playing this in a band or fingerstyle on acoustic guitar, along with a deep dive into the song’s harmonic structure. Here’s the lesson: Teenage Dream – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Once you’ve worked through the TAB, the chord chart will be all you need for gigs or rehearsals.
Teenage Dream Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Teenage Dream chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Teenage Dream iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
From Pop Fantasy to Real-Life Nightmare
Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream was the lead single from her massively successful 2010 album of the same name.
This wasn’t the album’s only huge hit—Firework, California Gurls, and Last Friday Night also topped the charts and sold millions. The album itself went on to sell over 10 million copies worldwide.
Before Teenage Dream, Katy had already made a name for herself with One of the Boys (2008), which was a major departure from her little-known debut album, Katy Hudson (2001), a Christian rock record that sold very few copies. With singles like I Kissed a Girl and Hot n Cold, she embraced a bold new image—one that Teenage Dream pushed even further with its carefree and flirtatious themes.
The same year Teenage Dream was released, Katy married Russell Brand, a comedian known for his wild lifestyle. The marriage, however, lasted less than two years.
Following Teenage Dream, Katy had one more worldwide smash with Roar. Russell, on the other hand, is now under investigation for multiple allegations of sexual assault. In the end, it seems Katy’s Teenage Dream may have turned into a nightmare…
Teenage Dream Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Teenage Dream (Katy Perry) Guitar Lesson TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
