Chords + Lyrics | Wake Me Up
Intro
| Bm G5 | D5 A5 | Bm G5 | D5 A5 |
Verse 1
||: Bm G5 | D5 | Bm G5 | D5 :||
Feeling my way through the darkness, guided by a beating heart.
I can’t tell where the journey will end, but I know where to start.
They tell me I’m too young to understand, they say I’m caught up in a dream.
Well, life will pass me by if I don’t open up my eyes, well that’s fine by me.
Chorus 1
||: Bm G5 | D5 A5 | Bm G5 | D5 A5 :||
So wake me up when it’s all over, when I’m wiser and I’m older.
All this time I was finding myself, and I didn’t know I was lost.
So wake me up when it’s all over, when I’m wiser and I’m older.
| Bm G5 | D5 A5 | Bm G5 | D5 N.C |
All this time I was finding myself, and I didn’t know I was lost.
Instrumental
||: Bm G5 | D5 A5 | Bm G5 | D5 A5 |
| Bm G5 | D5 A5 | Bm G5 | N.C :|| x3
Verse 2
I tried carrying the weight of the world, but I only have two hands.
Hope I get the chance to travel the world, but I don’t have any plans.
Wish that I could stay forever this young, not afraid to close my eyes.
| Bm G5 | D5 | Bm G5 | D5 N.C |
Life’s a game made for everyone, and love is a prize.
Chorus 2
| Bm G5 | D5 A5 | Bm G5 | D5 A5 |
So wake me up when it’s all over, when I’m wiser and I’m older.
| Bm G5 | D5 A5 | Bm G5 | D5 N.C |
All this time I was finding myself, and I, didn’t know I was lost.
||: Bm G5 | D5 A5 | Bm G5 | D5 A5 :||
So wake me up when it’s all over, when I’m wiser and I’m older.
All this time I was finding myself, and I, I didn’t know I was lost.
I didn’t know I was lost, I didn’t know I was lost.
| Bm G5 | D5 A5 | Bm G5 | N.C |
I didn’t know I was lost, I didn’t know.
Outro
| Bm G5 | D5 A5 | Bm G5 | D5 A5 |
| Bm G5 | D5 A5 | Bm | N.C |
| Bm G5 | D5 A5 | Bm G5 | D5 A5 |
| Bm G5 | D5 A5 | Bm G5 | D5 |
| Bm G5 | D5 A5 | Bm G5 | D5 A5 |
| Bm G5 | D5 A5 | Bm G5 | D5 | B5 N.C |
Wake Me Up Backing Tracks | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning Wake Me Up. I’ve used stem separation to extract the guitar while keeping the drums, bass, keys, and vocals intact.
After studying the chords and TAB, use my backing tracks to prepare for playing this tune with a band.
Should you want to play along with the original recording instead, you need to tune your guitar sharp to 441Hz. In the backing tracks, I’ve done this job for you by tuning it to 440Hz.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
It might seem like Avicii’s Wake Me Up is just a straightforward repetition of Bm – G – D, with the occasional stop, but a closer look reveals subtle variations that give the song its unique sound.
Verse
The verse chords are simple but contain an important detail: the G and D chords are played as G5 and D5, not the full major chords. Here’s how the progression breaks down using Roman numerals:
||: Bm (VI) G5 (IV) | D5 (I) :||
Chorus
During the chorus, an A5 is added, it’s played on beat 4, which is the twist that sets this progression apart:
||: Bm (VI) G5 (IV) | D5 (I) A5 (V) :||
The key element here is the placement of the A5 chord on beat 4 instead of the expected beat 3, creating a subtle rhythmic shift.
For a detailed breakdown, keep scrolling down this guitar lesson until you find TAB.
Once you have absorbed the finer details, a simple chord chart is all you need to take to your gig. The beauty of the chord chart lies in its simplicity, reminding you when to play and when to drop out, helping you focus on dynamics and performance.
Wake Me Up Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Wake Me Up chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Wake Me Up iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
Wake Me Up | TAB
Here’s the TAB for the intro and chorus—notice that A5 chord on beat four!
As we move into the verse, we drop that A chord. It looks like this:
The rhythm here is the same as in Blowin’ In The Wind—a very forward-moving, driving feel.
Lastly, here’s the instrumental melody:
Wake Me Up Chords: Continue Learning
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