Chords + Lyrics | Brown Sugar
Intro
||: C/E G C | C F/A C :|| x4
| Eb/G Ebadd9/G Eb/G | C F/A C |
| Ab Db/F Ab Db/F Eb/G Bb | C F/A C |
| Eb/G Ebadd9/G Eb/G | C F/A C |
| Ab Db/F Ab Db/F Eb/G Bb | F/A C |
Verse 1
| C | C |
Gold Coast slave ship bound for cotton fields.
| F | F |
Sold in the market down in New Orleans.
| C | C |
Skydog slaver know he’s doin’ all right.
| Bb | C |
Hear him whip the women, just around midnight.
Chorus 1
| G | G | C F/A | C F/A |
Brown Sugar, how come you taste so good, yeah?
| G | G | C F/A | C F/A C |
Brown Sugar, just like a young girl should, ah ha, now.
Instrumental 1
| Eb/G Ebadd9/G Eb/G | C F/A C |
| Ab Db/F Ab Db/F Eb/G Bb | F/A C |
Verse 2
| C | C |
Drums beatin’ cold, English blood runs hot.
| F (A/C#) | F (A/C#) |
Lady of the house wonderin’ when it’s gonna stop.
| C (F/A) | C (F/A) |
House boy knows that he’s doin’ all right.
| Bb | C |
You should have heard him, just around midnight.
Chorus 2
Brown Sugar, how come you taste so good, now?
Brown Sugar, just like a young girl should, yeah, yeah!
Solo
| Eb/G Ebadd9/G Eb/G | C F/A C |
| Ab Db/F Ab Db/F Eb/G Bb | F/A C |
| Eb/G Ebadd9/G Eb/G | C F/A C |
| Ab Db/F Ab Db/F Eb/G Bb F/A | F/A C |
| Eb Ab/C Eb | C F/A C |
| Ab Db/F Ab Db/F Eb/G Bb F/A | F/A C |
| Eb/G Ebadd9/G Eb/G | C F/A C |
| Ab Db/F Ab Db/F Eb/G Bb | C F/A C |
Chorus 3
Aww, take it all Brown Sugar, how come you taste so good?
Oh, let me tell all about, the Brown Sugar, just like a black girl should, yeah
Verse 3 (as verse 2)
Now, I bet your mama was a tent show queen.
And all her boyfriends were sweet 16.
I’m no schoolboy but I know what I like.
You should have heard them, just around midnight.
Chorus 4
Brown Sugar, how come you taste so good, Baby?
Oh, no, no, Brown Sugar, just like a young girl should, yeah, yeah.
Instrumental 3 (pre chorus 5)
| G | G | C (F/A) | C (F/A) |
Chorus 5
||: G | G | C (F/A) | C (F/A) :||
I said, yeah, yeah, yeah, woo. How come you, how come you dance so good?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, woo. Just like a, just like a black girl should.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, woo.
Outro
||: G (C/G) | G (C/G) | C (F/A) C | C (F/A) C :||
Brown Sugar Backing Tracks | Chord Analysis
Using AI, I made two backing tracks for you to play along with. The second has no vocals, while the first—with vocals—may not be accessible in some countries due to copyright restrictions.
When I make backing tracks, the remaining instruments (usually bass and drums) are fairly clear. This wasn’t the case with Brown Sugar, which ended up with very little bass. You’ll also hear a bit of saxophone, which sounds more like a weak, broken kazoo.
As frustrating as this was, once I started playing along and focused on nailing the chords and riffs, it didn’t really bother me. Use these tracks to practise and prepare to play Brown Sugar with your band.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
The intro and instrumental sections are complex—at least from a traditional theory standpoint. Keith Richards’ approach is simpler: “Move the same idea over here.”
The first set of intro chords follows: C/E – G – C – C – F/A – C.
Played on strings 2–4, this is a classic rock ‘n’ roll riff, shifting the same shape from G to C. Keith then moves it to unexpected fret positions, changes extensions, and gives the riff its signature sound.
Next: Eb/G – Ebadd9/G – Eb/G.
Instead of moving to Ab (as you might expect), the Eb chord is extended to Ebadd9 before returning to the original sequence: C – F/A – C.
Instead of moving to Ab, the Eb chord is extended to Ebadd9 before returning to the original sequence: C – F/A – C.
Then the riff shifts to Ab: Ab Db/F Ab Db/F Eb/G Bb in one bar!
This resolves back to: C F/A C.
Here’s the full intro and instrumental section:
||: C/E G C | C F/A C :|| x4
||: Eb/G Ebadd9/G Eb/G | C F/A C |
|1. Ab Db/F Ab Db/F Eb/G Bb | C F/A C :||
|2. Ab Db/F Ab Db/F Eb/G Bb | F/A C |
It’s almost the same twice, except the last time we don’t go to C before the F/A. Rhythm changes occur as well, which are best explained with TAB: Brown Sugar – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Verse
The verse simplifies, staying in C with a classic I – IV – I – bVIIx – I progression:
| C | C | F | F |
| C | C | Bb | C |
Later verses add slash chords:
| C | C | F (A/C#) | F (A/C#) |
| C (F/A) | C (F/A) | Bb | C |
Again, TAB is essential for accurate playing.
Chorus
The chorus moves V – I with slash chord variations on C, effectively creating a V – I – IV feel:
||: G | G | C F/A | C F/A :||
For the last chorus:
||: G | G | C F/A C | C F/A C :||
Outro
The outro applies the slash chord concept to G as well:
||: G (C/G) | G (C/G) | C (F/A) C | C (F/A) C :||
Again, you must study the TAB to get it.
Here’s the updated chord chart you can bring to the gig. Brown Sugar’s chords can be tricky to remember, so having this reference is crucial, especially since it’s designed for a single guitarist in a band.
Brown Sugar Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
You can download the chord chart in two formats: a static PDF or iReal Pro.
Using the iReal Pro app, you can change the key—though for Brown Sugar’s chords, it’s not really recommended. If you’ve followed the TAB, you’ll understand why!
Brown Sugar TAB | Course Preview
There’s so much variation in Brown Sugar’s chords that I created nine TAB examples to cover it all!
The good news is you don’t have to hit the exact variation at the exact moment—Keith rarely does—but subtle changes throughout are essential to keep it sounding authentic.
As a preview, here’s the opening riff. Notice the small variations that make it come alive.
By the time The Rolling Stones released Brown Sugar, they were already well-established
As the opening track and lead single from their 11th studio album, Sticky Fingers, Brown Sugar was a major chart success in 1971. It hit #1 in the U.S. and Canada, reached #2 in the U.K., and topped the charts in New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Ireland, and Switzerland.
By then, the Stones had already built a formidable catalogue of hits, including (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, Honky Tonk Women, Sympathy for the Devil, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Ruby Tuesday, and As Tears Go By. Their rebellious image made them the bad-boy alternative to contemporary rivals The Beatles, who would break up the following year.
The Stones famously never quit, going on to release Wild Horses, Angie, Miss You, Beast of Burden, and Start Me Up.
Brown Sugar even secured a spot on Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, coming in at #495.
Brown Sugar Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Brown Sugar (The Rolling Stones) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
