Chords + Lyrics | Talking About A Revolution
Intro
||: G Cadd9 | Em D (Dsus4) :||
Verse 1
||: G Cadd9 | Em D (Dsus4) :||
Don’t you know, they’re talkin’ about a revolution, it sounds, like a whisper.
Don’t you know, they’re talkin’ about a revolution, it sounds, like a whisper.
Verse 2
While they’re standing in the welfare lines, crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation.
Wasting time in the unemployment lines, sitting around, waiting for a promotion.
Don’t you know, they’re talkin’ bout a revolution, it sounds, like a whisper.
Bridge 1
||: G Cadd9 | Em D/F# :||
Poor people gonna rise up, and get their share.
Poor people gonna rise up, and take what’s theirs.
Chorus
||: G5 Cadd9 | Em D/A Dsus4 :||
Don’t you know you better run, run, run…
Oh, I said you better run, run, run…
Chorus Tag 1
||: G Cadd9 | Em D5 :||
‘Cause finally the tables are starting to turn, talkin’ bout a revolution.
Yes, finally the tables are starting to turn. Talkin’ bout a revolution.
Oh, Lord, talkin’ bout a revolution.
Verse 3
Oh, I’ve been standing in the welfare lines, crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation.
Wasting time in the unemployment lines, sittin’ around, waiting for a promotion.
Don’t you know, they’re talkin’ bout a revolution, and it sounds, like a whisper.
Chorus Tag 2
||: G Cadd9 | Em D (Dsus4) :||
And finally, the tables are starting to turn, talkin’ bout a revolution.
Yes, finally the tables are starting to turn, talkin’ bout a revolution, oh, Lord.
Talkin’ bout a revolution, oh, Lord. Talkin’ bout a revolution, oh, Lord.
Talking About A Revolution Chords: The Genius Behind the Simplicity
The core progression is simply G – Cadd9 – Em – D, or in Roman numerals, I – IV – VI – V, cycling repeatedly.
However, these chords have been subtly altered to add harmonic interest. The C is extended to Cadd9, while G is sometimes played as G5.
The D chord sees the most variation, appearing in multiple forms: D, D5, D/F#, Dsus4, and D/A.
Over the opening lyrics, Talking About A Revolution‘s chords follow this pattern:
||: G (I) Cadd9 (IV) | Em (VI) D (V) Dsus4 D :||
The best way to get these chords right is to play them alongside the lyrics, as shown above. That said, a chord chart can also be useful.
Here’s one I made for you.
Talking About A Revolution Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
As you can see, the only real change throughout is the D chord. I could have indicated exactly when each variation appears, but this works better alongside the lyrics, so I kept it simple.
The idea behind this chart is that it serves as a quick reference rather than an exact transcription.
If you’d like to download it, here’s a PDF: Talking About A Revolution chord chart PDF.
This chart was created using iRealPro—here’s a link to that file: Talking About A Revolution iReal Pro. With the iRealPro app, you can adjust the key and tweak the arrangement to suit your needs.
In the course, we take the opposite approach to a basic chord chart. Instead, we dive deep into the details using TAB and play-along loops to truly master Talking About A Revolution. Below is a preview.
Once you’ve worked through the finer details, either the chord chart or the chords with lyrics will be enough to help you play Talking About A Revolution in a refined, confident way.
Talking About A Revolution TAB | Course Preview
The opening track of Tracy Chapman’s acclaimed self-titled debut album, Talkin’ ’bout A Revolution, is also the first song in the beginner acoustic guitar course.
There is so much to learn here—the distinct guitar part, the way the arrangement builds, the genius second guitar that supports Tracy’s strumming, and the simple yet powerful lyrical message. Talkin’ ’bout A Revolution holds many secrets to both great songwriting and guitar playing.
In the course, we study Tracy’s original part alongside the session guitarist’s contributions in great depth. Here’s the TAB for Tracy’s part—play along with me in the video above to try it out.
Because the chords remain similar throughout, when playing Talking About A Revolution on just one guitar, I’ve varied the pattern slightly.
As we move into the next section, “Poor people gonna rise…”, I’ve borrowed a picked part from the second guitar in the original recording. The D chord is replaced with a D/F#, and we pick instead of strum:
||: G Cadd9 | Em D/F# :||
Members get TAB and play-along loops for this as well.
This variation helps us make the chorus feel bigger when we return to strumming. The chords shift slightly (members get TAB!):
||: G5 Cadd9 | Em D/A Dsus4 :||
For the chorus tag, we go back to picking, with subtle changes to the D chord:
||: G Cadd9 | Em D5 :||
||: G Cadd9 | Em D/F# :||
From here, I stick to the original part played in the intro and first verses.
As you can tell, it’s not just about “playing the chords.” The key to great guitar playing lies in deciding how many strings to strum for each chord—this is what turns chords into a distinct, recognisable part.
Pairing this with subtle chord extensions and dynamic changes creates an arrangement rather than a repetitive two-bar loop. Talking About A Revolution is a perfect example of this.
In the first series of lessons, we start by mastering the four open-position chords needed to play the song. We also practise a chromatic exercise before learning to play Talking About A Revolution on a single guitar.
In step 7, we develop a second guitar part so that in step 8, you, me, and the singer can perform it together as an acoustic trio (you can check out this second guitar part in the playlist at the top of the page).
Here’s a link to the 8 step-by-step guitar lessons: Talking About A Revolution – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Tracy Wasn’t Just Talking About A Revolution—She Started One
The original recording of Talking About A Revolution—or Talkin’ ’bout A Revolution, as the album sleeve puts it—opened Tracy Chapman’s self-titled debut masterpiece.
This song embodied the female singer-songwriter, voicing political change from a street corner.
Before listeners even had a chance to turn the album over, they had already heard Baby Can I Hold You and Fast Car. With these tracks alone, Tracy Chapman became an instant global favourite.
Women, in particular, connected with the record—it felt honest, genuine, and real, standing in stark contrast to the music industry’s commercial trends at the time.
Following the success of her world-famous debut, Chapman went on to collaborate with legendary artists, including B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Pavarotti, Buddy Guy, Ziggy Marley, and Dave Matthews.
While she has continued releasing albums, and Crossroads is a solid tune, nothing has quite matched the impact of her first, legendary record. Some say it even sparked a revolution, as record labels scrambled to find “the next Tracy Chapman.”
Talking About A Revolution Chords: Continue Learning
In this first series of lessons, we begin by getting to grips with strumming the four open-position chords used in Talking About A Revolution.
We’ll also practice the chromatic exercise before learning to play the song on one guitar. Finally, we’ll develop a second guitar part and play the song together.
Start learning with the full lesson series: Talking About A Revolution – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
