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Elton John - Rocket Man - Chords

Updated: Feb 11, 2021


A piano-based song that works surprising well as an acoustic guitar strummer, I've never understood why Elton John was in a rocket but it's a still a cool song. Maybe he was going to meet Major Tom. I'm also not sure why he's wearing a cowboy outfit on the album cover. But again . . . still a great song.


You'll have to navigate some slash chords on this one and I'll give you a little guitar lesson advice on how to do that here.


Remember that a slash chord works like this: The first letter is the chord, the letter after the slash is the note that must be the lowest pitch of the chord. That's all there is to it. Of course, you can also just memorize the chord shapes. These two are particularly common so it's worth the effort.


D/F#: 200232 -- wrap your thumb around to get that low 2nd fret F# in the bass.


Am/G: 302210 -- Start by holding an ordinary Am. Then remove your 3rd finger, and swing it around to grab that G note that's the 3rd fret of the bottom string.


Make sure to slap a Capo on the 3rd fret, to match the key (and to avoid a whole lot of pesky bar chords).



Rocket Man -- Elton John


Capo 3


INTRO: PIANO, VCL ONLY

Em7 A7

She packed my bags last night, pre-flight

Em7 A7

Zero hour, nine A.M.

C G Am Am/G D/F#

And I'm gonna be high------- as a kite by then


Em7 A7

I miss the earth so much, I miss my wife

Em7 A7

It's lonely out in space

C G/B Am Am/G D/F#

On such a time----less flight



CHORUS, FULL BAND:

G C

And I think it's gonna be a long long time

G

Til touchdown brings me 'round again to find

C

I'm not the man they think I am at home

G/B A7

Oh no, no, no, I'm a rocket man

C G

Rocket man, burnin' out his fuse up here alone (repeat chorus)



VERSE 2: PIANO, BASS, VCL

Em7 A7

Mars ain't the kinda place to raise your kids

Em7 A7

In fact it's cold as hell

C G Am Am/G D

And there's no one there-- to raise them .. if you did


BAND ENTERS:

Em7 A7

And all this science, I don't understand

Em7 A7

It's just my job five days a-week

C G/B Am Am/G D/F#

Rocket man - - - rocket man


-- REPEAT CHORUS 2X --


C G

And I think it's gonna be a long long time ( repeat 8x)

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