Chords + Lyrics | Sex on Fire
Intro
||: E E6 | E E6 | E E6 | E E6 |
| C#m C#mb6 | C#m C#mb6 | C#m C#mb6 | C#m C#mb6 :||
Verse 1
| E E6 | E E6 | E E6 | E E6 |
Lay where you’re laying, don’t make a sound.
| C#m C#mb6 | C#m C#mb6 | C#m C#mb6 | C#m C#mb6 |
I know they’re watching, they’re watching.
| E E6 | E E6 | E E6 | E E6 |
All the commotion, the kiddie-like play.
| C#m C#mb6 | C#m C#mb6 | C#m C#mb6 | C#m C#mb6 |
Has people talking, they’re talking.
Chorus 1
| E5 | E | Emaj7 | E |
You.
| C#madd9 | C#m | Amaj7#11 | Amaj7 |
Your sex is on fire.
Verse 2
The dark of the alley, The breaking of day.
Head while I’m driving, I’m driving.
Soft lips are open, them knuckles are pale.
Feels like you’re dying, you’re dying.
Chorus 2 (double)
| E5 | E | Emaj7 | E |
You.
| C#madd9 | C#m | Amaj7#11 | Amaj7 |
Your sex is on fire.
| E | E5 | Emaj7 | E |
Consumed.
| C#madd9 | C#m | Amaj7#11 | Amaj7 |
With what’s just transpired.
Verse 3
Hot as a fever, rattling bones.
I could just taste it, chased it.
But it’s not forever, but it’s just tonight.
Oh, we’re still the greatest, the greatest, the greatest.
Chorus 3 (as chorus 1)
And you.
Your sex is on fire.
Breakdown Chorus
| E5 N.C | E5 N.C | E5 N.C | E5 B5 |
You.
| C#5 N.C | C#5 N.C | C#5 N.C | C#5 G#5 |
Your sex is on fire, ah, ah, ah.
| E5 N.C | E5 N.C | E5 N.C | E5 B5 |
Consumed.
| C#5 N.C | C#5 N.C | A5 N.C | A5 B5 |
With what’s just transpired.
Outro (as Chorus 2)
And you.
Your sex is on fire.
Consumed.
| C#madd9 | C#m | Amaj7#11 | Amaj7 | E5 N.C |
With what’s just transpired.
Sex On Fire Backing Track | Chords Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning Sex On Fire. I’ve used stem separation to extract the guitar while keeping the drums, bass, vocals intact.
After studying the chords and TAB, use my backing tracks to prepare for playing this tune with a band.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
The intro which is almost the same as the verse riff starts with an E6 (chord I), quickly moving down to an E5 as the bar begins.
Since the second guitar is playing an E, I’ve described it as E6 – E (rather than E6 – E5), using chords and lyrics above.
The rest of the intro follows a similar pattern but over chord VI, moving from C#mb6 to C#m.
Verse
Here are the basic verse chords for verses 2 and 3 (verse 1 repeats the first two lines):
| E E6 | E E6 | E E6 | E E6 |
| C#m C#mb6 | C#m C#mb6 | C#m C#mb6 | C#m C#mb6 |
| E E6 | E E6 | E E6 | E E6 |
| C#m C#mb6 | C#m C#mb6 | Amaj7 | Amaj7 |
The only new chord here is the Amaj7 at the end which is the same as C#m C#mb6, but with a new bass note.
Chorus
The chorus delves deeper into the E chord, emphasising different parts of the triad using the 5th, maj7, and 3rd. In chord language, this looks like:
| E5 (I) | E | Emaj7 | E |
| C#madd9 (VI) | C#m | Amaj7#11 (IV) | Amaj7 |
The second line returns to C#m (chord VI), with the addition of the add9. When the bass shifts to A, we get the full-sounding Amaj7#11 and Amaj7. The #11 indicates Lydian mode.
Breakdown
Finally, the breakdown section uses power chords (5 chords) and stops, as shown:
| E5 N.C | E5 N.C | E5 N.C | E5 B5 |
| C#5 N.C | C#5 N.C | C#5 N.C | C#5 G#5 |
| E5 N.C | E5 N.C | E5 N.C | E5 B5 |
| C#5 N.C | C#5 N.C | A5 N.C | A5 B5 |
Throughout Sex on Fire, you’ll face the challenge of combining the two guitar parts into one when you’re playing as the only guitarist in the band.
If you play it on acoustic, consider thinking in the key of C and using a capo on fret 4.
I’ve created some TAB for how to play this on one guitar in a band, find it further down this guitar lesson.
After your TAB session, use this chord chart to refresh your memory on Sex on Fire‘s chords and structure as you play with the backing tracks above, preparing to play this modern classic with your band.
Sex on Fire Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Should you want to download my chart and bring it to the gig, here’s a PDF: Sex on Fire chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Sex on Fire iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
Sex on Fire | TAB
Having studied the chords in the chords abovce, you may be thinking:
That’s all well and good if I need to build an acoustic guitar arrangement, but if I’m standing in front of a wedding crowd at ten to eleven on a Saturday night, trying to make a few hundred so I can pay the rent playing my guitar, that Amaj7#11 chord theory is not going to help!
Your conclusion will be: All I need is to play the riff – can you not just give me some TAB that works?
Fair enough. Here’s the TAB for Sex on Fire’s intro and verse:
Next, we have the chorus riff. Here it is with chords and TAB. I hope you can see all the intervals and, therefore, understand how and why Amaj7#11 is named as it is.
Finally, here’s what the second guitar plays over the C#m chord. I could have called this a C#11sus2, but I thought that might be pushing your tolerance for chord names a bit too far!
When you can play all this TAB, try the complete tune using the backing track above.
A covers band standard
For nearly a decade after its release in 2008, Kings of Leon‘s Sex on Fire was a staple on every covers band’s setlist.
Since Sex on Fire remains a standard tune that bands are expected to know, it’s crucial to get the chords correct, as it continues to appear in setlists from time to time.
While it may seem like a sell-out, ending the night with classics like Summer of ’69, Mr. Brightside, Sex on Fire, and Don’t Stop Me Now really does work.
Most of the time, Sex on Fire would be saved for the encore, likely because the chorus invites audience participation—and as any successful working band knows, audience engagement is key.
Sex on Fire Chords: Continue Learning
Step-by-step Guitar Courses
Master guitar by studying real tunes. Build your skills with video lessons, eBooks and practice routines that connect theory with the music you love!
Explore SpyTunes step-by-step Guitar Courses.
Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
