Crazy World | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
| D | D | Em | Em |
| G | G | D | D (Dadd9) |
Chorus 1
| D | D | Em | Em |
How can I protect you in this crazy world?
| G | G | D | D (Dadd9) |
It’s alright. Yeah, it’s alright.
Verse 1
| D | D | Em | Em |
I have fallen down so many times.
| Em7 | Em7 | D | D |
Don’t know why, don’t know where, don’t care less it’s all the same.
| D | D | Em | Em |
I have travelled through so many towns.
| Em7 | Em7 | D | D (Dadd9) |
Don’t know why, don’t know where, don’t care less it’s all the same.
Chorus 2
How can I protect you in this crazy world?
It’s alright, it’s alright.
Verse 2
| D | D | Em | Em |
Can you hear the sound of nothing, nothing?
| Em7 | Em7 | D |
Nothing’s right, nothing’s wrong, don’t care less it’s all the same.
| D | D | Em | Em (hold) |
Love is blind, love is real, don’t you know that love is what you feel?
| Em7 | Em7 | D | D (Dadd9) |
It’s alright. Yeah, it’s alright.
Chorus 3
How can I protect you in this crazy world?
It’s alright, it’s alright.
Middle 8
| G5 | D | G5 | D |
When the talking’s over, all the crowd has gone.
| D | A G5 | G5 (hold) |
Nothing left I can do, am I ever gonna get through to you?
| D5/F D5/C D5 D5/F | D5 |
It’s alright.
Solo
| D | D | Em | Em |
| G | G | D | D Dadd9 D |
| D | D | Em | Em |
| G | G | D | D Dadd9 D |
It’s alright. This is a crazy world.
Chorus 4 (x3)
How can I protect you in this crazy world?
It’s alright. Yeah, it’s alright.
How can I protect you when all the crowd have gone? Now your party’s over, all this world is wrong
It’s alright, it’s alright.
How can I protect you in this crazy world?
It’s alright. Yeah, it’s alright.
Crazy World Chords: The Power of Simple Progressions with Variations
In the key of D, the intro and chorus follow the I – II – IV – I progression:
| D (I) | D | Em (II) | Em |
| G (IV) | G | D (I) | D (Dadd9) |
The Dadd9 appears as part of a chord riff, moving between D, Dadd9, and back to D. This is best explained with TAB (see the lesson: Crazy World – Guitar Lesson with TAB).
On the original recording, two guitars are used, but the riff can be incorporated into strumming, allowing you to play Crazy World on a single acoustic guitar.
The verse chords are similar to the chorus but with a subtle change. Instead of moving to IV (G), the progression stays on II (Em), adding a min7 extension:
| D (I) | D | Em (II) | Em |
| Em7 | Em7 | D (I) | D |
When repeated, the chord riff is added over the final D chord.
Verse 2 alters the structure slightly—cutting a bar of D and holding Em before strumming resumes on Em7. The chord chart below highlights these variations.
The middle 8 increases intensity by moving between IV and I at twice the speed—an effective songwriting technique. A new chord sequence is also introduced, playing A (V) – G (IV) before resolving with F and C over D5. The F briefly turns D into a minor chord using a Cm shape, making D5/F an unusual but fitting choice.
Full middle 8 section:
| G5 (IV) | D (I) | G5 | D |
| D | A (V) G5 (IV) | G5 (hold) |
| D5/F D5/C D5 D5/F | D5 |
Here’s a chord chart I made for you.
Crazy World Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
Even though Crazy World is a simple song, subtle changes—like the missing bar in verse 2—make it tricky to create a straightforward chart.
However, once you’re familiar with the song, these variations become second nature. The chart reflects them clearly, even if some sections may look unusual at first glance.
If you’d like to download the chart, here’s a PDF: Crazy World chord chart PDF.
This chart was created using iReal Pro, and you can find the file here: Crazy World iReal Pro. With the iReal Pro app, you can change the key as needed.
Keep in mind that transposing the song will affect the D chord riff, as it relies on the open D string. If you change the key, you’ll need to adjust the riff accordingly, or it won’t sound quite right.
Aslan is an Irish national treasure!
During my early 20s, while gigging across Europe, I often met Irish music fans who were quick to challenge the idea that U2 was Ireland’s greatest band.
At first, I didn’t quite get what they meant. Over time, I realised they were talking about Thin Lizzy and Aslan —bands they considered more authentic and credible.
Everyone knew I’d be familiar with Thin Lizzy, perhaps even surprised they were Irish, but Aslan—that was always their trump card.
“If you play Crazy World, the Irish will go nuts,” they’d tell me, always with a knowing look, as if they were passing on a great secret that would change my life.
And they were 100% right. Whenever I played Crazy World, the Irish did go nuts.
Years later, while touring with The Script, I wasn’t surprised when they covered Aslan’s legendary tune. My bandmates looked puzzled—“What song is this?”
“It’s Aslan,” I told them, as if I’d always known.
And so, the legend of this Irish national treasure spread a little further. And as long as people love a great song, it will continue to do so.
Crazy World Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Crazy World (Aslan) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy: