Chords + Lyrics | Superstition
Intro
||: N.C | N.C :||
||: Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) :||
Verse 1
||: Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) | Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) :||
Very superstitious, writing’s on the wall.
Very superstitious, ladders bout’ to fall.
Bridge 1
||: Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) (blues scale riff) :||
Thirteen-month-old baby, broke the looking glass.
Seven years of bad luck, the good things in your past.
Chorus 1
| Bb7 B6b5 | Bb7 A6b5 |
When you believe in things, that you don’t understand,
| Ab7 | Bb7#5 N.C |
then you suffer. Superstition ain’t the way.
Instrumental 1
| Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) horn riff | Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) horn riff |
| Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) | Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) |
Verse 2
Uh, very superstitious, wash your face and hands.
Rid me of the problem, do all that you can.
Bridge 2
Keep me in a daydream, keep me going strong.
You don’t wanna save me, sad is the song.
Chorus 2
When you believe in things, you don’t understand,
then you suffer. Superstition ain’t the way.
Instrumental 2
| Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) horn riff | Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) horn riff |
| Ebm7 Ab7/Eb | Ebm7 Ab7/Eb |
Chorus 3 (instrumental)
Ah, aw!
Instrumental 3
||: Ebm7 (Ab7/E) | Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) :||
Verse 3
Very superstitious, nothing more to say.
Very superstitious, the devil’s on his way.
Bridge 3
Thirteen-month-old baby, uh-hm, broke the looking glass.
Seven years of bad luck, good things in your past. Mm-hm.
Chorus 4
When you believe in things, that you don’t understand,
then you suffer. Superstition ain’t the way.
Outro
| Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) horn riff | Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) horn riff |
No, no, no.
||: Bb7 B6b5 | Bb7 A6b5 :||
| Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) horn riff | Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) horn riff |
||: Ebm (Ab7/Eb) blues scale riff :||
||: Bb7 B6b5 | Bb7 A6b5 :||
||: Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) | Ebm7 (Ab7/Eb) :||
Superstition Chords: Key Progressions and Riffs
The harmony in Superstition is closely related to Stevie’s I Wish, which uses the classic II–V movement: Ebm7 – Ab7. The difference here is rhythmic. In I Wish, each chord gets two beats. In Superstition, Ebm7 holds for two beats, then Ab7 appears briefly (an eighth note on beat 3) before returning to Ebm7. Since the bass sustains Eb, we can think of this as Ab7/Eb.
As a guitarist, your job is often to support the keyboard player’s Clavinet riffs. This means short, percussive chord stabs, or doubling fragments of the riff. A great trick is to switch parts: if the keys play riff 1, you play chords; if they play riff 2, you jump on riff 1. If the keys never change, you can introduce riff 2 yourself.
In the course, there’s TAB for all possible scenarios, check them here: Superstition – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Chorus
The chorus introduces more movement:
| Bb7 B6b5 | Bb7 A6b5 | Ab7 | Bb7 N.C |
Some bands transpose Superstition to Em (Dorian mode). While I don’t prefer it, it works well on guitar with open strings, and it makes life easier for bassists too. If called upon, adapt quickly—your ears matter more than your pride.
Here’s a chord chart for you to practice with.
Superstition Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
My chart follows the original recording, including the layered outro where previous sections overlap. Most live bands simplify this ending, so be ready to adapt. A professional knows the “correct” parts but also knows when to go with the flow.
Here’s a PDF and iReal Pro file of the chart:
Superstition TAB | Course Preview
Playing Superstition live means listening closely and adjusting to the line-up. You may have horns, keys, both, or neither—and sometimes the band will call it in Em. The course TAB prepares you for every scenario.
As a preview, here’s the iconic riff in Ebm:
Notice the staccato markings: the first note is long, the rest short. I prefer notating this way rather than cluttering the page with rests—it’s easier to read and captures the feel.
An Essential Tune Every Guitarist Must Know
Ranked #74 on Rolling Stone’s 500 greatest songs of all time, Superstition is #1 on every covers band’s setlist. Released in 1972 as the lead single from Talking Book, it became Stevie Wonder’s second U.S. #1 and remains his signature tune.
Surrounded by classics like You Are the Sunshine of My Life and I Believe (When I Fall in Love), the track helped cement Stevie’s golden era. Despite endless covers, few guitarists play the chords exactly as on the original recording—but that’s part of the fun.
If you’re serious about professional gigging, learning Superstition is unavoidable. Every working guitarist must know it.
Superstition Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Superstition (Stevie Wonder) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
