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Inner City Blues

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Emixolydian

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

This song is played in the key of E (with a capo on the second fret). This is the 
version from the Cold Fact Album. The live version is slightly different.
The introduction starts with down strums on the E chord and then an intermittent E & Em 
before changing to A.
The A has a riff using your little finger on the E string on the 2nd  & 3rd frets. This 
riff occurs several times throughout the song.
Intro:
E, Em,  AEtc.
Verse:
EGoing down a dirty inner city side road, I Aplotted
EMadness passed me by, she smiled hi, I nAodded
ELooked up as the sky began to cB5ry, she shot Eit
EMeet a girl from Dearborn, eAarly six o-clock this morn, a cold fEact
AAsked about her bag, suburbia's such a drag, wont go bacEk
Chorus:
G'Cos Papa don't allow no nDew ideas Around hEere
GAnd now he sees the news, but the piDctures Anot too cElear
AMama, Papa, stop, treasure what you got; soon you may be caught without Eit
AThe curfews set for eight; will it ever all be straight? I dEoubt it.
Verse:
ESeven jealous fools playing by her rAules, can't believe hEer
AHe feels so in between, can't break the scene, it would grieve hEer
EAnd that's the reason why he must B5cry, he'll never leave hAer.
E                                A
CrEooked children, yellow chalk writing on the concrete walk, their King died
ADrinking from a Judas cup, looking down but seeing up, sweet red wEine
Chorus:
G'Cos Papa don't allow no nDew ideas rAound hEere
GAnd now you hear the music, but the wDords don't sAound too clEear.
AMama, Papa, stop. Treasure what you got. Soon you may be caught without Eit
AThe curfews set for eight will it ever all be straight? I doubt iEt.
Outro:
EGoing down a dusty, Georgian side road, I wondAer
EThe wind splashed in my face, can sB5mell a trace, of thundeEr.

All chords in this song (6)

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Inner City Blues

by Rodriguez

Lyrics & chords · Original key · Capo on fret 2 (as written in this song)

Chords in this song · guitar

This song is played in the key of E (with a capo on the second fret). This is the

version from the Cold Fact Album. The live version is slightly different.

The introduction starts with down strums on the E chord and then an intermittent E & Em

before changing to A.

The A has a riff using your little finger on the E string on the 2nd & 3rd frets. This

riff occurs several times throughout the song.

Intro:

E Em A

, , Etc.

Verse:

E A

Going down a dirty inner city side road, I plotted

E A

Madness passed me by, she smiled hi, I nodded

E B5 E

Looked up as the sky began to cry, she shot it

E A E

Meet a girl from Dearborn, early six o-clock this morn, a cold fact

A E

Asked about her bag, suburbia's such a drag, wont go back

Chorus:

G D A E

'Cos Papa don't allow no new ideas round here

G D A E

And now he sees the news, but the pictures not too clear

A E

Mama, Papa, stop, treasure what you got; soon you may be caught without it

A E

The curfews set for eight; will it ever all be straight? I doubt it.

Verse:

E A E

Seven jealous fools playing by her rules, can't believe her

A E

He feels so in between, can't break the scene, it would grieve her

E B5 A

And that's the reason why he must cry, he'll never leave her.

E A

Crooked children, yellow chalk writing on the concrete walk, their King died

A E

Drinking from a Judas cup, looking down but seeing up, sweet red wine

Chorus:

G D A E

'Cos Papa don't allow no new ideas round here

G D A E

And now you hear the music, but the words don't sound too clear.

A E

Mama, Papa, stop. Treasure what you got. Soon you may be caught without it

A E

The curfews set for eight will it ever all be straight? I doubt it.

Outro:

E A

Going down a dusty, Georgian side road, I wonder

E B5 E

The wind splashed in my face, can smell a trace, of thunder.

About Inner City Blues Chords by Rodriguez

Learn how to play Inner City Blues by Rodriguez with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Inner City Blues chords”, “Inner City Blues guitar chords”, or “Rodriguez Inner City Blues 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 Inner City Blues chords and for experienced players who want accurate Inner City Blues lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include E, Em, A, B5, G, D.

FAQ — Inner City Blues by Rodriguez

How do I play "Inner City Blues" by Rodriguez on guitar?

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Can I transpose "Inner City Blues" to a different key?

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

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Is "Inner City Blues" easy to play on guitar?

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What key is "Inner City Blues" in?

The chords for "Inner City Blues" show the original chord names (including E, Em, A, B5, G, D). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.