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Silent Key

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Emajor

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

1/41

Tempo 80 BPMVol

Sound:

Position

Step 1 / 41Position: 7

1 index2 middle3 ring4 pinkyO openSpace = play/pause

      Amxx7555
      A5x022xx
   A5/F#2x22xx
       Bx2444x
      B5x244xx
   Bsus4x24400
     B/Ax0444x
    B5/Ax044xx
      C5x32000
      C7x35500
     C#mx46654
    C#m7x46600
   D7/A#067575
       E022100
      E5022xxx
E6/3    042400
[Intro] Acoustic                  [Intro] Electric
e|---------------------------|    e|---------------------------|
B|----------------------2-2--|    B|---------------------------|
G|--9---11--13--4---4---2-2--|    G|--9--11-13-4--5--6-4 6 4 6-|
D|--x---x---x---x---2---2-2--|    D|--x--x--x--x--x--x---------|
A|--7---9---11--2---0---0-0--|    A|--7--9--11-2--3--4---------|
E|--0---0---0---0---0--------|    E|---------------------------|
[Verse]
On the E528th of B5January A5198A5/F#6 Christa McE5Auliffe
Gazed in B5horror as the O-rings failed,
A5And she died, and she died, A5/F#and she died.
For the E5next agonizing tB5wo minutes and A5forty-five long A5/F#seconds 
She called E5out the truth on a B5broken radio:
A5"I'm alive, I'm alivA5/F#e, I'm alive"
[Chorus]
It B5came as some B5/Asurprise to reEalize that
As she lost Aeverything
The B5world was revealed in a B5/Atransmission so Ereal
That she understood Aeverything:
You're still alive.
    (Intro Riff)
You're still alive.
    (Intro Riff)
[Verse]
E5Four thousand nautical B5miles as the crow A5flies away
A A5/F#home-made ham radiE5o in the loft of a HamB5pshire family home
A5Came alive, came alive, A5/F#came alive.
And so the E5four year old amateur B5operator A5thus became
The A5/F#only person to E5hear Christa's last desB5perate communiqué:
A5"We're alive, we're alivA5/F#e, we're alive"
[Chorus]
It B5came as some B5/Asurprise to reEalize
That he didn’t Acatch anything
The world was revealed in a transmission so real
That he understood eAverything:
You're still alive.
[Break]
And Christa said:
  Acoustic
      E   Am   D7/A#      E    C#m    C5    B       B/A    EE63 B5A    E   C#m7   C7   Bsus4B5A
e|------5---5------|--4--------------||--0---0---0---0--|--0---0---0---0--|
B|------5---7------|--5---0---4---4--||--0---0---0---0--|--0---0---0---0--|
G|--1---5---5---1--|--6---0---4---4--||--1---4---4---1--|--6---5---4---4--|
D|--2---7---7---2--|--6---2---4---4--||--2---2---4---2--|--6---5---4---4--|
A|--2-------6---2--|--4---3---2---0--||--2---4---0---2--|--4---3---2---0--|
E|--0-------0---0--|-----------------||--0---0---x---0--|-----------------|
  Electric Arpeggio
e|------------------|-----------------|
B|--9---10---7---9--|--5---5---4---4--|
G|--9---9----8---9--|--6---2---4---2--|
D|--9---10---7---9--|--6---5---4---4--|
A|------------------|-----------------|
E|------------------|-----------------|
The Edarkness up aboveAm  
Led D7/A#me on like unErequited lovC#me,
While all the C5things I need
Were Bdown here in the B/Adeep blue sea
       DE6/3    B5/A                       E  C#m7  
At four years old I heard the truth on my radio,
So C7now I keep a Bsus4moment's silence for B5/Amy Silent Key.
My silent key x 3
(Intro riff)

All chords in this song (17)

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Silent Key

by Frank Turner

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

A5/F#

Bsus4

B/A

B5/A

C#m

C#m7

D7/A#

xx7555

x022xx

A5/F#

2x22xx

x2444x

x244xx

Bsus4

x24400

B/A

x0444x

B5/A

x044xx

x32000

x35500

C#m

x46654

C#m7

x46600

D7/A#

067575

022100

022xxx

E6/3 042400

[Intro] Acoustic [Intro] Electric

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

B|----------------------2-2--| B|---------------------------|

G|--9---11--13--4---4---2-2--| G|--9--11-13-4--5--6-4 6 4 6-|

D|--x---x---x---x---2---2-2--| D|--x--x--x--x--x--x---------|

A|--7---9---11--2---0---0-0--| A|--7--9--11-2--3--4---------|

E|--0---0---0---0---0--------| E|---------------------------|

[Verse]

E5 B5 A5 A5/F# E5

On the 28th of January 1986 Christa McAuliffe

Gazed in horror as the O-rings failed,

A5 A5/F#

And she died, and she died, and she died.

E5 B5 A5 A5/F#

For the next agonizing two minutes and forty-five long seconds

E5 B5

She called out the truth on a broken radio:

A5 A5/F#

"I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive"

[Chorus]

B5 B5/A E

It came as some surprise to realize that

As she lost everything

B5 B5/A E

The world was revealed in a transmission so real

That she understood everything:

You're still alive.

(Intro Riff)

You're still alive.

(Intro Riff)

[Verse]

E5 B5 A5

Four thousand nautical miles as the crow flies away

A5/F# E5 B5

A home-made ham radio in the loft of a Hampshire family home

A5 A5/F#

Came alive, came alive, came alive.

E5 B5 A5

And so the four year old amateur operator thus became

A5/F# E5 B5

The only person to hear Christa's last desperate communiqué:

A5 A5/F#

"We're alive, we're alive, we're alive"

[Chorus]

B5 B5/A E

It came as some surprise to realize

That he didn’t catch anything

The world was revealed in a transmission so real

That he understood everything:

You're still alive.

[Break]

And Christa said:

Acoustic

E Am D7/A# E C#m C5 B B/A E E C#m7 C7 Bsus4

E63 B5A B5A

e|------5---5------|--4--------------||--0---0---0---0--|--0---0---0---0--|

B|------5---7------|--5---0---4---4--||--0---0---0---0--|--0---0---0---0--|

G|--1---5---5---1--|--6---0---4---4--||--1---4---4---1--|--6---5---4---4--|

D|--2---7---7---2--|--6---2---4---4--||--2---2---4---2--|--6---5---4---4--|

A|--2-------6---2--|--4---3---2---0--||--2---4---0---2--|--4---3---2---0--|

E|--0-------0---0--|-----------------||--0---0---x---0--|-----------------|

Electric Arpeggio

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

B|--9---10---7---9--|--5---5---4---4--|

G|--9---9----8---9--|--6---2---4---2--|

D|--9---10---7---9--|--6---5---4---4--|

A|------------------|-----------------|

E|------------------|-----------------|

E Am

The darkness up above

D7/A# E C#m

Led me on like unrequited love,

While all the things I need

B B/A

Were down here in the deep blue sea

D B5/A E C#m7

E6/3

At four years old I heard the truth on my radio,

C7 Bsus4 B5/A

So now I keep a moment's silence for my Silent Key.

My silent key x 3

(Intro riff)

About Silent Key Chords by Frank Turner

Learn how to play Silent Key by Frank Turner with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Silent Key chords”, “Silent Key guitar chords”, or “Frank Turner Silent Key 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 Silent Key chords and for experienced players who want accurate Silent Key lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Am, A5, A5/F#, B, B5, Bsus4.

FAQ — Silent Key by Frank Turner

How do I play "Silent Key" by Frank Turner on guitar?

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Can I transpose "Silent Key" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Silent Key"?

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

Is "Silent Key" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Silent Key" by Frank Turner with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Frank Turner below.

What key is "Silent Key" in?

The chords for "Silent Key" show the original chord names (including Am, A5, A5/F#, B, B5, Bsus4). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.