Don’t Look Back Into The Sun | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
||: N.C :|| x4
||: G | D | Em | D | C | D | G | D :||
| Gadd4 | D13omit3 | Em7b6 | D13omit3 | C | D5/A | G | D5/A |
Verse 1
| G | D5/A | Em | D5/A |
Don’t look back into the sun, now you know that the time is come.
| C | D5/A | G5 | D5/A |
And they said that it would never come for you, oh oh oh oh.
| G | D5/A | Em | D5/A |
Oh my friend you haven’t changed, you looking rough and living strange.
| C | D5/A | G5 | D5 |
And I know you’ve got a taste for it too ah oh oh.
Bridge 1
| C | C | G | G |
They will never forgive you but they won’t let you go, oh no.
| C | C | D5 N.C | N.C |
She will never forgive you but she won’t let you go, oh no.
Verse 2
Don’t look back into the sun, you’ve cast your pearls but you’re on the run.
And all the lies you said, who did you save?
And then they played that song at the death disco, it started fast but it ends so slow.
And all the time it reminded me of you.
Bridge 2
They will never forgive you but they won’t let you go (let me go).
She will never forgive you but she won’t let you go, oh no.
Solo
||: Gadd4 | D13omit3 | Em7b6 | D13omit3 | C | D5/A | G | D5/A :||
Bridge 3
They will never forgive you but they won’t let you go (let me go).
She will never forgive you but she won’t let you go, oh no.
Outro
||: Gadd4 | D13omit3 | Em7b6 | D13omit3 | C | D5/A | G | D5/A :||
| G | D | Em | D | C | D | G | G |
Don’t Look Back Into The Sun Chords: Learn the Simple Yet Effective Progressions
The completely diatonic chord progression Don’t Look Back Into The Sun offers is extremely simple if you ignore that it needs to be played fast!
The verse/chorus consists of two movements, the first being:
G (I) – D (V) – Em (VI) – D (V).
The second movement is:
C (IV) – D (V) – G (I) – D (V).
Playing this on just one acoustic guitar, I would recommend using a few power chords, like this:
||: G | D5/A | Em | D5/A |
| C | D5/A | G5 | D5/A :||
Having the first G as a triad, and the second as a power chord provides some nice variation.
That D5/A is simply a way to fatten up that D chord which if played in the open position can sound thin next to a big open position G and Em. If you’re in a band, the bass player will play a D, not an A.
The bridge chords are:
C (IV) – G (I) – C (IV) – D (V).
These simple open-position chords make Don’t Look Back Into The Sun easy to memorize, and if you like pop/punk/garage-rock, it is an excellent beginner song.
I’ve custom-made some TAB for you to make this a beginner acoustic tune. It also happened to become a great exercise for the intro, dipping their toe in the moveable CAGED system.
Next, we incorporate the intro melody into the strumming (There’s TAB for this as well as what to play for the verse and bridge here: Don’t Look Back Into The Sun – Guitar Lesson with TAB).
If you include the intervals from the intro melody into the chord names, it’ll say this:
| Gadd4 | D13omit3 | Em7b6 | D13omit3 |
| C | D5/A | G | D5/A |
Without TAB, this won’t make much sense, but after you’ve seen the TAB, the chord names will help!
So as you return here after working on that TAB, perhaps this chord chart is all you need to play Don’t Look Back Into The Sun‘s chords.
Don’t Look Back Into The Sun Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
Those crazy chord names will only make sense once you analyse the TAB and realise how the intervals create the chord name.
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Don’t Look Back Into The Sun Chord Chart PDF.
This chart was created using iRealPro, here’s a link to that file: Don’t Look Back Into The Sun iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
Don’t Look Back Into The Sun is The Libertines’ signature song!
Though only released as a single, Don’t Look Back Into The Sun has become The Libertines‘ defining track.
Known as much for their off-stage, drug-fuelled antics as for their music, The Libertines have always been a band steeped in controversy. But with Don’t Look Back Into The Sun, they proved they could craft a garage-rock punk anthem, fit to stand alongside Last Nite, Seven Nation Army, Are You Gonna Be My Girl, Mr. Brightside, and I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor in any weekend warrior indie rock cover band’s setlist.
If you’re aiming to join one of those bands, this song should be in your repertoire.
The Libertines are far from a one-hit wonder—fans will tell you there’s plenty more to discover in their catalogue. Perhaps after learning this track, you’ll be inspired to explore further.
Don’t Look Back Into The Sun Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Don’t Look Back Into The Sun (The Libertines) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy: