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Illegal Smile

Chords

4.91,025 votes

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Font15

KeyOriginal

Chords

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Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

1/25

Tempo 80 BPMVol

Sound:

Position

Step 1 / 25Position: 3

1 index2 middle3 ring4 pinkyO openSpace = play/pause

[Intro]
e|--G-------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|-0-------0-------0-------0-------|
D|----0---0----0--0----0--0----0---|
A|--------------2-------2-------2--|
E|--3---3---2h3--3--2h3--3--2h3--3-|
[Verse 1]
When GI woke up this Dmornin',   Cthings were lookin' bGad
  Cseemed like total Gsilence was the Donly frieCnd I haGd
  Da bowl of oatmeal Ctried to stare me Gdown... Cand Gwon
and it was Dtwelve o'clock before I Crealized that I was Ghavin' Cno Gfun
[Pre-Chorus]
Ah, but Dfortunately... I hGave the key to escCape reDalitGy
[Chorus] (Change to 3/4 time, and slow down to 130 bpm)
and you may Csee me tonight with an Gillegal smile
it don't Dcost very much, but it Glasts a long while
won't you Cplease tell the man I didn't Gkill anyone
no I was Djust tryin' to Chave me some GfunC  G  C  G  C  
[Instrumental] (Change back to 4/4 time, speed up to 160 bpm)
G   G   G   G
[Verse 2]
last Gtime I checked my Dbankroll,   Cwell it was gettin' Gthin
someCtimes it seems like the Gbottom is the Donly Cplace I've Gbeen
  Dchased a rainbow Cdown a one-way Gstreet... Cdead Gend
and Dall my friends turned Cout to be inGsurance CsalesGmen
[Pre-Chorus]
Ah, but Dfortunately... I hGave the key to escCape reDaliGty
[Chorus] (Change to 3/4 time, and slow down to 130 bpm)
and you may Csee me tonight with an Gillegal smile
it don't Dcost very much, but it Glasts a long while
won't you Cplease tell the man I didn't Gkill anyone
no I was Djust tryin' to Chave me some GfunC  G  C  G  C  
[Instrumental] (Change back to 4/4 time, speed up to 160 bpm)
G   G   G   G
[Verse 3]
Well, I Gsat down in my Dcloset    Cwith all my overGalls
just Ctryin' to get aGway from all the Dears inCside the Gwalls
Ddreamed the police Cheard everything I Gthought... Cwhat Gthen?
well I Dwent to court and the Cjudge's name Gwas CHoffGman
[Pre-Chorus]
Ah, but Dfortunately... I hGave the key to escCape reDaliGty
[Chorus] (Change to 3/4 time, and slow down to 130 bpm)
and you may Csee me tonight with an Gillegal smile
it don't Dcost very much, but it Glasts a long while
won't you Cplease tell the man I didn't Gkill anyone
no I was Djust tryin' to Chave me some Gfun  (Cwell dGone, hCot-dog Gbun, Cmy sister's a Gnun)

All chords in this song (3)

The story behind the song

"Illegal Smile" comes from John Prine's self-titled debut album. Prine was known for his unique blend of humorous lyrics that often touched on love, life, and current events, frequently incorporating social commentary and satire. This song, with its title, hints at that playful and perhaps slightly subversive approach to everyday experiences. It carries the spirit of an artist who found joy and a wry perspective in the world around him.

AI-written from these sources:John Prine — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

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Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

Illegal Smile

by John Prine

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[Intro]

e|---------------------------------|

B|---------------------------------|

G|-0-------0-------0-------0-------|

D|----0---0----0--0----0--0----0---|

A|--------------2-------2-------2--|

E|--3---3---2h3--3--2h3--3--2h3--3-|

[Verse 1]

G D C G

When I woke up this mornin', things were lookin' bad

C G D C G

seemed like total silence was the only friend I had

D C G C G

a bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down... and won

D C G C G

and it was twelve o'clock before I realized that I was havin' no fun

[Pre-Chorus]

D G C D G

Ah, but fortunately... I have the key to escape reality

[Chorus] (Change to 3/4 time, and slow down to 130 bpm)

C G

and you may see me tonight with an illegal smile

D G

it don't cost very much, but it lasts a long while

C G

won't you please tell the man I didn't kill anyone

D C G C G C G C

no I was just tryin' to have me some fun

[Instrumental] (Change back to 4/4 time, speed up to 160 bpm)

G G G G

[Verse 2]

G D C G

last time I checked my bankroll, well it was gettin' thin

C G D C G

sometimes it seems like the bottom is the only place I've been

D C G C G

chased a rainbow down a one-way street... dead end

D C G C G

and all my friends turned out to be insurance salesmen

[Pre-Chorus]

D G C D G

Ah, but fortunately... I have the key to escape reality

[Chorus] (Change to 3/4 time, and slow down to 130 bpm)

C G

and you may see me tonight with an illegal smile

D G

it don't cost very much, but it lasts a long while

C G

won't you please tell the man I didn't kill anyone

D C G C G C G C

no I was just tryin' to have me some fun

[Instrumental] (Change back to 4/4 time, speed up to 160 bpm)

G G G G

[Verse 3]

G D C G

Well, I sat down in my closet with all my overalls

C G D C G

just tryin' to get away from all the ears inside the walls

D C G C G

dreamed the police heard everything I thought... what then?

D C G C G

well I went to court and the judge's name was Hoffman

[Pre-Chorus]

D G C D G

Ah, but fortunately... I have the key to escape reality

[Chorus] (Change to 3/4 time, and slow down to 130 bpm)

C G

and you may see me tonight with an illegal smile

D G

it don't cost very much, but it lasts a long while

C G

won't you please tell the man I didn't kill anyone

D C G C G C G C G

no I was just tryin' to have me some fun (well done, hot-dog bun, my sister's a nun)

About Illegal Smile Chords by John Prine

Learn how to play Illegal Smile by John Prine with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Illegal Smile chords”, “Illegal Smile guitar chords”, or “John Prine Illegal Smile chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Illegal Smile chords and for experienced players who want accurate Illegal Smile lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, B, D, A, E, C.

FAQ — Illegal Smile by John Prine

How do I play "Illegal Smile" by John Prine on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Illegal Smile" by John Prine on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "Illegal Smile" by John Prine free?

Yes. The chords for "Illegal Smile" by John Prine are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Illegal Smile" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Illegal Smile" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Illegal Smile"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Illegal Smile" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Illegal Smile" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Illegal Smile" by John Prine with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by John Prine below.

What key is "Illegal Smile" in?

The chords for "Illegal Smile" show the original chord names (including G, B, D, A, E, C). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.