Sunny Afternoon | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
||: D5 D5/C | D5/B D5/Bb | A5 A5/G | A5/F A5/E :||
Verse 1
| Dm | C | F/C | C |
The tax man’s taken all my dough, and left me in my stately home,
| A5 A5/G | A5/F A5/E |
lazing on a sunny afternoon.
Verse 2
| Dm | C | F/C | C |
And I can’t sail my yacht, he’s taken everythin’ I’ve got,
| A5 A5/G | A5/F A5/E | Dm Dm/A | Dm Dm/A D5/B D5/C# |
all I’ve got’s this sunny afternoon.
Chorus 1
| D | D | G | G7 |
Save me, save me, save me from this squeeze.
| C | C7 | F/C | A A7 |
I’ve got a big fat momma tryin’ to break me.
| Dm | G7 | Dm | G7 C |
And I’d love to live so pleasantly, live this life of luxury,
| F/C | A A7 | D5 D5/C | D5/B D5/Bb |
lazing on a sunny afternoon.
| A5 A5/G | A5/F A5/E | D5 D5/C | D5/B D5/Bb | A5 A5/G | A5/F A5/E |
In the summertime, in the summertime, in the summertime.
Verse 3
| Dm | C | F/C | C |
My girlfriend’s run off with my car, and gone back to her ma and pa,
| A5 A5/G | A5/F A5/E |
telling tales of drunkenness and cruelty.
Verse 4
| Dm | C | F/C | C |
Now I’m sitting here, sipping at my ice-cold beer,
| A5 A5/G | A5/F A5/E | Dm Dm/A | Dm Dm/A D5/B D5/C# |
lazing on a sunny afternoon.
Chorus 2
| D | D | G | G7 |
Help me, help me, help me sail away.
| C | C7 | F/C | A A7 |
Well, give me two good reasons, why I ought to stay.
| Dm | G7 | Dm | G7 C |
‘Cause I love to live so pleasantly, live this life of luxury,
| F/C | A A7 | D5 D5/C | D5/B D5/Bb |
lazing on a sunny afternoon.
| A5 A5/G | A5/F A5/E | D5 D5/C | D5/B D5/Bb | A5 A5/G | A5/F A5/E |
In Summertime, in the summertime, in the summertime.
Chorus 3
| D | D | G | G7 |
Save me, save me, save me from this squeeze.
| C | C7 | F/C | A A7 |
I’ve got a big fat momma tryin’ to break me.
| Dm | G7 | Dm | G7 C |
And I’d love to live so pleasantly, live this life of luxury,
| F/C | A A7 | D5 D5/C | D5/B D5/Bb |
lazing on a sunny afternoon.
| A5 A5/G | A5/F A5/E | D5 D5/C | D5/B D5/Bb |
In the summertime, in the summertime.
| A5 A5/G | A5/F A5/E | D5 D5/C | D5/B D5/Bb |
In the summertime, in the summertime,
| A5 A5/G | A5/F A5/E |
in the summertime.
End
| Dm | Dm | Dm | Dm |
Sunny Afternoon | Chords + Lyrics (capo 5)
Intro
||: Am Am/G | Am/F# Am/F | E E/D | E7/C E7/B :||
Verse 1
| Am | G | C | G |
The tax man’s taken all my dough, and left me in my stately home,
| E E/D | E7/C E7/B |
lazing on a sunny afternoon.
Verse 2
| Am | G | C | G |
And I can’t sail my yacht, he’s taken everythin’ I’ve got,
| E E/D | E7/C E7/B | Am Am/E | Am (E F# G#) |
all I’ve got’s this sunny afternoon.
Chorus 1
| A | A | D7 | D7 |
Save me, save me, save me from this squeeze.
| G | G7 | C | E7 |
I’ve got a big fat momma tryin’ to break me.
| Am | D7 | Am | D7 G |
And I’d love to live so pleasantly, live this life of luxury,
| C | E7 | Am Am/G | Am/F# Am/F |
lazing on a sunny afternoon.
| E E/D | E7/C E7/B | Am Am/G | Am/F# Am/F | E E/D | E7/C E7/B |
In the summertime, in the summertime, in the summertime.
Verse 3
| Am | G | C | G |
My girlfriend’s run off with my car, and gone back to her ma and pa,
| E E/D | E7/C E7/B |
telling tales of drunkenness and cruelty.
Verse 4
| Am | G | C | G |
Now I’m sitting here, sipping at my ice-cold beer,
| E E/D | E7/C E7/B | Am Am/E | Am (E F# G#) |
lazing on a sunny afternoon.
Chorus 2
| A | A | D7 | D7 |
Help me, help me, help me sail away.
| G | G7 | C | E7 |
Well, give me two good reasons, why I ought to stay.
| Am | D7 | Am | D7 G |
‘Cause I love to live so pleasantly, live this life of luxury,
| C | E7 | Am Am/G | Am/F# Am/F |
lazing on a sunny afternoon.
| E E/D | E7/C E7/B | Am Am/G | Am/F# Am/F | E E/D | E7/C E7/B |
In Summertime, in the summertime, in the summertime.
Chorus 3
| A | A | D7 | D7 |
Save me, save me, save me from this squeeze.
| G | G7 | C | E7 |
I’ve got a big fat momma tryin’ to break me.
| Am | D7 | Am | D7 G |
And I’d love to live so pleasantly, live this life of luxury,
| C | E7 | Am Am/G | Am/F# Am/F |
lazing on a sunny afternoon.
| E E/D | E7/C E7/B | Am Am/G | Am/F# Am/F |
In the summertime, in the summertime.
| E E/D | E7/C E7/B | Am Am/G | Am/F# Am/F |
In the summertime, in the summertime,
| E E/D | E7/C E7/B |
in the summertime.
End
| Am | Am | Am | Am |
Sunny Afternoon Guitar Lesson | Course Preview
Sunny Afternoon uses a bass line to create a looped pattern for the intro/chorus tag, these are the chords for when a capo is placed on fret five.
||: Am Am/G | Am/F# Am/F | E E/D | E7/C E7/B :||
The verse uses more conventional chords at first before the descending bass line idea is used over the E chord again, like this.
||: Am | G | C | G | E E/D | E7/C E7/B :||
| Am Am/E | Am A |
The chorus moves to the key of A and has a bVII chord in it (G).
| A | A | D7 | D7 |
| G | G7 | C | E7 |
| Am | D7 | Am | D7 G |
The C (bIIIx) and E7 chords act as a turnaround to get back to Am, like this:
| C | E7 | Am Am/G | Am/F# Am/F |
| E E/D | E7/C E7/B | Am Am/G | Am/F# Am/F | E E/D | E7/C E7/B |
Sunny Afternoon’s 8 guitar lessons
In the course, we first learn to play it using a capo on fret 5 as this works best when playing on just one guitar. This takes five lessons
The final three steps are spent on constructing and playing a 2nd guitar part. Learning this will enable you, me, and the singer to play Sunny Afternoon together, like an acoustic trio.
In total, there are 8 step-by-step lessons for Sunny Afternoon available. Here are links to each lesson in the course (members only):
- Step 1 – Sweeping & Climbing
- Step 2 – Intro & Chorus tag
- Step 3 – Verse
- Step 4 – Chorus
- Step 5 – The complete song with TAB
- Step 6 – 2nd guitar – Intro, chorus tag & Verse
- Step 7 – 2nd guitar – Chorus
- Step 8 – 2nd guitar – The complete song with TAB
Become a member today and get unlimited access to all my guitar courses, the SEPR practice route, and the eBook Spytunes Method – You can learn guitar!
Sunny Afternoon chords | Related pages
Intermediate Acoustic
Most intermediate acoustic tunes can’t be played using just basic open-position chords. We have to move up the fretboard and play CAGED barre chords as well.
We incorporate bass lines, add licks, extend chords, and play vocal melodies. Most importantly, we invent second guitar parts and play these songs together.
Five similar tunes
- 1234 chords
- Angie chords
- Stuck In The Middle With You chords
- Town Called Malice chords
- You Really Got Me chords
The Kinks
Categorized as a British invasion band, along with the other members of the so-called Big Four, The Kinks changed popular music forever.
Among their hits, you find Lola, Sunny Afternoon and You Really Got Me, which fourteen years later would be covered by Van Halen, using a much louder amp.
The Kinks on the web
Pop & Rock
Whenever a tune doesn’t fit into a specific genre, it tends to end up here, in the Pop & Rock section.
Learn tunes from Tom Petty, Eagles, Toto, Oasis, Elvis, Clapton, John Mayer, Kings Of Leon, R.E.M., Radiohead, Bruno Mars, and more.
