Artist: Elton John    Strum Pattern: Island: D – D U – U D U    Roman Numerals: I, Isus4, II, ii, II7, ii7, III7, IV, V, Vsus4, vi, m7    Instrument: Guitar - Standard Tuning [E,A,D,G,B,E]   
Song Notes:  
Elton John & Bernie Taupin, 1972.

The Verses are a little tricky, but once you get the strum pattern they click into place.

4/4 time. Slashes after a chord indicate the number of beats it gets in a shared 4–beat measure. “–” is a 1-beat rest.

Strum Patterns: | D – – U D U D U | or Island Strum: | D – D U – U D U | Verses: | D – – – D – D – |
Entered by: Cheryl Leon Levy   
▼ Show transpose, instrument, and other display options ▼
C
(C,E,G)

x,3,2,0,1,0
- C E G C E
Csus4
(C,F,G)

- C F G C -
D
(D,F♯,A)

- - D A D F♯
Dm
(D,F,A)

- - D A D F
D7
(D,F♯,A,C)

- - D A C F♯
Dm7
(D,F,A,C)

- - D A C F
E7
(E,G♯,B,D)

E B D G♯ B E
F
(F,A,C)

F C F A C F
G
(G,B,D)

G B D G B G
Gsus4
(G,C,D)

G - D G C G
Am
(A,C,E)

- A E A C E
B♭
(B♭,D,F)

- B♭ F B♭ D -


Verse 1:
Verse strum: | D – – – D – D – | shown as "/–//"
Slashes after a chord indicate the number of beats it gets in a shared 4–beat measure. “–” is a 1-beat rest (the "[Dm]////" is just a regular 4-beat strum):
"(%)" means repeat the previous chord.
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/– And
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
/ now I
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/ know (%)/–//
[E7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Major Third
]
/–// “Spanish Ha-
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
/– -arlem”
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
// are not
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
/–// just pretty wo-
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/–// -ords to say
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Second
]
//// (%)/–//
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/– I
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
/ thought I
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/ knew (%)/–//
[E7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Major Third
]
/–// But now I
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
/– know that
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
// rose trees
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
/–// never grow ...
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/–// in New York
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Second
]
//// City (%)/–//

Pre–Chorus 1:
Island Strum
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
Until you’ve
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
seen this
[Dm7Minor 7th Chord (U,m3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second
]
trash can dream come
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
true
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
You stand at the
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
edge while
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]
people run you
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
through
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
And I thank the
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
Lord there’s
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
people out there like
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
you
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
I thank the Lord there’s
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
people out there like
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Second
]
you
[Dm7Minor 7th Chord (U,m3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second
]
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]

Chorus 1:
Island Strum
Be prepared for that Bb because it sounds so good!
[Gsus4Suspended 4th Chord (U,P4,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]
// While
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]
// Mona
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
Lisas and Mad
[B♭Major Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh
]
Hatters, sons of
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
bankers, sons of
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
lawyers
Turn a- [CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
-round and say, “Good
[Csus4Suspended 4th Chord (U,P4,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
morning” to the
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
night (%)
For un- [E7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Major Third
]
-less they see the
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
// sky,
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]
// but they
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
// can’t, and
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
// that is
[DMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Second
]
why
[D7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second
]
They [FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
know not if it’s
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]
dark outside or
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
// light
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Second
]
//
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]

Verse 2:
Verse strum: | D – – – D – D – | shown as "/–//"
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/– This
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
/ Broadway’s
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/ got (%)/–//
[E7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Major Third
]
/–// It’s got a lot of
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
/– songs to
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
// sing;
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
/–// if I knew the tu-
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/–// -unes, I might join
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Second
]
in (%)/–//
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/– I’ll go my
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
/ way a-
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/ -lone (%)/–//
[E7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Major Third
]
/–// Grow my
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
/– own, my
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
// own seeds
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
/–// shall be sown ...
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/–// in New York
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Second
]
City (%)/–//

Pre–Chorus 2:
Island Strum
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
Subway’s no
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
way for a
[Dm7Minor 7th Chord (U,m3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second
]
good man to go
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
down
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
Rich man can
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
ride, and the
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]
hobo, he can
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
drown
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
And I thank the
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
Lord for the
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
people I have
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
found
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
I thank the Lord for the
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
people I have
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Second
]
found
[Dm7Minor 7th Chord (U,m3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second
]
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]

Chorus 2:
Island Strum
[Gsus4Suspended 4th Chord (U,P4,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]
// While
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]
// Mona
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
Lisas and Mad
[B♭Major Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh
]
Hatters, sons of
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
bankers, sons of
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
lawyers
Turn a- [CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
-round and say, “Good
[Csus4Suspended 4th Chord (U,P4,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
morning” to the
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
night (%)
For un- [E7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Major Third
]
-less they see the
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
// sky,
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]
// but they
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
// can’t, and
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
// that is
[DMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Second
]
why
[D7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second
]
They [FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
know not if it’s
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]
dark outside or
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
// light
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Second
]
//
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]

Verse 3:
Verse strum: | D – – – D – D – | shown as "/–//"
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/– And
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
/ now I
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/ know (%)/–//
[E7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Major Third
]
/–// “Spanish Ha-
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
/– -arlem”
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
// are not
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
/–// just pretty wo-
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/–// -ords to say
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Second
]
(%)/–//
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/– I
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
/ thought I
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/ knew (%)/–//
[E7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Major Third
]
/–// But now I
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
/– know that
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
// rose trees
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
/–// never grow ...
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/–// in New York
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Second
]
City (%)/–//

Pre–Chorus 3:
Island Strum
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
Subway’s no
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
way for a
[Dm7Minor 7th Chord (U,m3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second
]
good man to go
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
down
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
Rich man can
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
ride, and the
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]
hobo, he can
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
drown
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
And I thank the
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
Lord for the
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
people I have
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
found
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
I thank the Lord for the
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
people I have
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Second
]
found
[Dm7Minor 7th Chord (U,m3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second
]
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]

Chorus 3:
Island Strum
[Gsus4Suspended 4th Chord (U,P4,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]
// While
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]
// Mona
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
Lisas and Mad
[B♭Major Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh
]
Hatters, sons of
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
bankers, sons of
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
lawyers
Turn a- [CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
-round and say, “Good
[Csus4Suspended 4th Chord (U,P4,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
morning” to the
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
night (%)
For un- [E7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Major Third
]
-less they see the
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Sixth
]
// sky,
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]
// but they
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
// can’t, and
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
// that is
[DMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Major Second
]
why
[D7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second
]
They [FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
know not if it’s
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]
dark outside or
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
// light
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Second
]
//
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]

Outro:
Island Strum (end with one strum on the last chord)
They [FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
know not if it’s
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fifth
]
dark outside or
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth
]
// light
[DmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Second
]
//
[CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison
]
/– – –