Cake By The Ocean | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
||: Em Bm (Bbm) | Am C (B) :||
Nah, nah, yeah
Verse 1
||: Em Bm (Bbm) | Am C (B) :||
Oh, no. See you walkin’ ’round like it’s a funeral.
Not so serious, girl, why those feet cold?
We just gettin’ started, don’t you tiptoe, tiptoe (ah)
Bridge 1
||: Em Bm (Bbm) | Am C (B) :||
Waste time with a masterpiece, don’t waste time with a masterpiece (huh)
You should be rollin’ with me, you should be rollin’ with me (ah-ah-ah)
You’re a real-life fantasy, you’re a real-life fantasy (huh)
| Em Bm (Bbm) | N.C |
But you’re movin’ so carefully, let’s start livin’ dangerously
Chorus 1
||: Em Bm (Bbm) | Am C (B) :||
Talk to me, baby, I’m goin’ blind from this sweet-sweet cravin’, whoa-oh/
Let’s lose our minds and go fuckin’ crazy.
I-I-I-I-I-I keep on hopin’ we’ll eat cake by the ocean (uh)
Chorus 2
Walk for me, baby, I’ll be Diddy, you’ll be Naomi, whoa-oh.
Let’s lose our minds and go fuckin’ crazy.
I-I-I-I-I-I keep on hopin’ we’ll eat cake by the ocean (uh)
Instrumental
| Em Bm (Bbm) | Am C (B) |
Verse 2
Goddamn. See you lickin’ frostin’ from your own hands.
Want another taste, I’m beggin’, “Yes, ma’am”.
I’m tired of all this candy on the dry land, dry land, ooh.
Bridge 2
Waste time with a masterpiece, don’t waste time with a masterpiece (huh).
You should be rollin’ with me, you should be rollin’ with me (ah-ah-ah).
You’re a real-life fantasy, you’re a real-life fantasy (huh).
| Em Bm (Bbm) | N.C |
But you’re movin’ so carefully, let’s start livin’ dangerously (whoa-oh).
Chorus 3
Talk to me, baby, I’m goin’ blind from this sweet-sweet cravin’, whoa-oh.
Let’s lose our minds and go fuckin’ crazy (ah).
I-I-I-I-I-I keep on hopin’ we’ll eat cake by the ocean (uh).
Chorus 4
Walk for me, baby (walk for me now), I’ll be Diddy, you’ll be Naomi, whoa-oh.
Let’s lose our minds and go fuckin’ crazy.
I-I-I-I-I-I keep on hopin’ we’ll eat cake by the ocean.
Ooh, ah-ah. I-I-I-I-I-I keep on hopin’ we’ll eat cake by the ocean (uh).
Ooh, ah-ah. I-I-I-I-I-I keep on hopin’ we’ll eat cake by the ocean (uh).
Breakdown
| Em Bm (Bbm) | Am C (B) |
Hey, you’re fuckin’ delicious. ha ha.
| Em Bm (Bbm) | N.C |
Talk to me, girl.
Chorus 5
Talk to me, baby (talk to me, baby), I’m goin’ blind from this sweet-sweet cravin’, whoa-oh
Let’s lose our minds and go fuckin’ crazy.
I-I-I-I-I-I keep on hopin’ we’ll eat cake by the ocean (hey) (uh).
Chorus 6
Walk for me, baby (walk for me now), I’ll be Diddy, you’ll be Naomi, whoa-oh.
Let’s lose our minds and go (and go what?), fuckin’ crazy (that’s right).
I-I-I-I-I-I keep on hopin’ (I’m ready), we’ll eat cake by the ocean (ah, yeah).
Outro
||: Em Bm (Bbm) | Am C (B) :||
Red velvet, vanilla, chocolate in my life.
Funfetti, I’m ready, I need it every night.
Red velvet, vanilla, chocolate in my life.
I-I-I-I-I-I keep on hopin’ we’ll eat cake by the ocean (uh).
Cake By The Ocean Chords: Unpacking the Subtle Progressions
Deceptively simple, the song’s progression mainly moves between Em and Am, forming a VI – II sequence—my #10 pick in the top ten chord progression list.
However, there’s a crucial chromatic shift: after first landing on Bm, the progression moves down to Bbm before resolving back. In the following bar, it returns via C and B, creating subtle but effective tension.
This alternating movement between Bm and B at every other bar keeps the loop feeling endless—an essential quality for a dance track!
This technique is known as modal interchange; Bm acts as chord III, while B functions as IIIx.
I’ve put together a chord chart to serve as a quick reference, especially for the structure. Pay close attention to bridge 2—nailing that stop is key!
Cake By The Ocean Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
No matter how simple a song may be, I always find it reassuring to have a chord chart on hand. With Cake By The Ocean, a glance is all you need—even the arrangement is straightforward!
Here’s a link to download my PDF: Cake By The Ocean chord chart PDF.
And here’s the iReal Pro version: Cake By The Ocean chord chart iReal Pro.
Using the app, you can easily change the key—just a matter of shifting the chords up or down the fretboard, thanks to their convenient placement.
Boyband + Live Band + Swedish Pop Production = Cake By The Ocean
Cake By The Ocean was DNCE’s debut and most successful single, climbing high on charts worldwide.
Produced by Swedish duo Mattman & Robin—who also worked on Taylor Swift’s 1989—the song has had lasting appeal, still frequently heard on the radio years later.
Its highly repetitive chord progression makes it an easy addition to setlists for bar and event bands, who have embraced Cake By The Ocean with open arms.
If you’re looking to play guitar professionally, this is definitely one to have in your repertoire!
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