Chords + Lyrics | Don’t Start Now
Intro
| Bm | D | (D5) Em7 | N.C |
If you don’t wanna see me. Did a full
Verse 1 (bass only)
||: Em | Bm | Gmaj7 | D A :||
180, crazy, thinking ’bout the way I was.
Did the heartbreak change me? Maybe, but look at where I ended up.
I’m all good already, so moved on it’s scary. I’m not where you left me at all, so.
Bridge 1
| Bm | D | (D) Em7 | Gmaj9 Gmaj7 |
If you don’t wanna see me dancing with somebody.
| Bm | D | (D) Em7 | Gmaj9 Gmaj7 N.C |
If you wanna believe that anything could stop me.
Chorus 1 (bass only)
| Em | Bm |
Don’t show up, don’t come out.
| Gmaj7 | D A |
Don’t start caring about me now.
| Em | Bm |
Walk away, you know how.
| Gmaj7 | D N.C |
Don’t start caring about me now.
Verse 2
||: Em7 | Bm7 | Gmaj7 | D A :||
Aren’t you the guy who tried to, hurt me with the word “goodbye”?
Though it took some time to, survive you, I’m better on the other side.
I’m all good already, so moved on, it’s scary. I’m not where you left me at all, so.
Bridge 2
If you don’t wanna see me dancing with somebody.
If you wanna believe that anything could stop me.
Chorus 2
Don’t show up, don’t come out.
Don’t start caring about me now.
Walk away, you know how.
| Gmaj7 | D |
Don’t start caring about me now (’bout me now, ’bout me).
Chorus tag 1
||: Em7 | Bm7 | Gmaj7 | D A :||
Oh, oh. Don’t come out, out, out. Don’t show up, up, up. Don’t start now (oh).
Oh, oh. Don’t come out, out. I’m not where you left me at all, so.
Bridge 3
If you don’t wanna see me dancing with somebody.
If you wanna believe that anything could stop me.
Chorus 3 (bridge chords)
||: Bm7 | D | (D) Em7 | Gmaj9 Gmaj7 :||
Don’t show up (don’t show up), don’t come out (don’t come out).
Don’t start caring about me now (’bout me now).
Walk away (walk away), you know how (you know how).
Don’t start caring about me now (so).
Chorus tag 2 (bridge chords)
||: Bm7 | D | (D) Em7 | Gmaj9 Gmaj7 :||
Oh, oh. Don’t come out, out, out. Don’t show up, up, up.
Walk away, walk away (so). Oh, oh. Don’t come out, out, out.
Don’t show up, up, up. Walk away, walk away, oh.
Don’t Start Now Chords: Master the Progressions and Variations
Dua Lipa’s Don’t Start Now is built around two main chord progressions, with small but significant variations that make most sense when viewed alongside the lyrics.
The first progression forms the foundation of the verse, chorus, and first chorus tag:
||: Em7 | Bm7 | Gmaj7 | D A :||
Here, Em7 functions as chord II, Bm7 as VI, Gmaj7 as IV, and D and A as I and V. While these are all familiar chords, their particular sequence gives Don’t Start Now its distinctive feel.
A few subtle variations occur throughout the song:
- Em7 is sometimes played as Em
- Bm7 occasionally simplifies to Bm
- A is sometimes muted (N.C.)
The second progression appears in the intro and bridge, later returning in the chorus and chorus tag—an effective structural twist that often catches live bands off guard:
||: Bm | D | (D5) Em7 | Gmaj9 Gmaj7 :||
This movement starts on VI (Bm), rises to I (D), and resolves on IV (Gmaj7).
Rhythmically, Dua Lipa borrows a trick from Adele’s Rolling In The Deep, where a chord from the previous bar lingers for half a beat before shifting (D – Em7). A similar half-beat movement occurs at the end, sliding from Gmaj9 to Gmaj7.
Again, there are minor differences across sections:
- In the intro, the final bar is muted
- In bridges 1 and 2, Bm7 is replaced with Bm
There’s not much guitar in this tune—in fact, there’s not much of anything apart from bass and vocals. The chords are mainly covered by the keyboard, so in the course, we explore how to adapt those parts effectively for guitar.
There’s also a rapid, picked line that works best played across two strings, even though it repeats the same note. The only other tune I know that uses this trick is Signed, Sealed, Delivered—almost certainly a nod to that sound.
Here’s a link to the course: Don’t Start Now – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
To help navigate the harmonic shifts, I’ve also included a chord chart that outlines all the variations in text form—since writing the same progression multiple times would only create confusion!
Don’t Start Now Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
You can download my chord chart for Don’t Start Now either as a PDF or in the iReal Pro format I used to create it. With the app, you can easily adjust the layout and key to suit your practice setup.
Don’t Start Now TAB | Course Preview
In the course, we explore how to play the keyboard chords for both the verse and bridge before tackling the guitar part. We even work out the string line used in the chorus tag—all of which are wonderfully minimalistic.
As a preview, here are the bridge chords. You could play this if the keys player is late, getting a drink, you want to annoy them, or you’ve fired them.
Don’t Start Now Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Don’t Start Now (Dua Lipa) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
