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Up On The Roof

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"Up On The Roof"
By Goffin/King as performed by James Taylor
[Intro]
Em7  D/F#  G   A
When tDhis old world starts Bma getting me F#m7down
And Em7people are just too A7sus4much for me to Dface
I'll Dclimb way up to the Bmtop of the F#m7stairs
And Em7all my cares just A7sus4drift right into Dspace
GOn the roof, A7it's G/Bpeaceful A7as can Em7beD/F#  G  A7  
And Dthere the A/C#world bBmelow don't F#m7bother Em7me, no, A7sus4no
So wheDn I come home feelinBmg tired and F#m7beat
I'll Em7go up where the air A7sus4is fresh and Dsweet
I'll Dget far away from tBmhe hustling F#m7crowd
And Em7all the rat-race nA7sus4oise down in the Dstreet
GOn the A7roof, that's the  G/Bonly   A7place I Em7knowD/F#  G  A7  
Where Dyou just A/C#have to Bmwish to F#m7make it Em7so
Let's Asus4go up on the Droof
[Instrumental]
D    Bm    Em7  D/F#   G   A   D
And at Gnight the A7stars they G/Bput on a A7show for Em7freeD/F#  G  A7  
And, Ddarling, A/C#you can sBmhare it F#m7all with Em7me
That's what I A7sus4said.     Keep on telling you that
DRight smack dab in the Bmmiddle of F#m7town,
I Em7found a parA7sus4adise that's trouble Dproof
And Dif this old world starts a Bmgetting you F#m7down
There's Em7room enough for A7sus4two
Up on the DroofBm  
BmUp on the Em7roofD/F#  G  A  
AUp on the Droof
repeat 6x
||:  D   Bm   Em7   D/F#   G   A:|| D  

All chords in this song (12)

The story behind the song

This song imagines a peaceful escape from the busy world, finding solace high above the street. The lyrics evoke the feeling of leaving your worries behind as you ascend, transforming an ordinary rooftop into a secret haven. It's a place where you can look up at the stars and feel free, a sentiment inspired by the idea of a personal retreat and scenes from West Side Story. Playing this song is like taking a breath of fresh air and finding your own quiet corner.

AI-written from these sources:Up on the Roof (song) — Wikipedia ↗James Taylor — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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Chord Book

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

Up On The Roof

by James Taylor

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Em7

D/F#

F#m7

A7sus4

G/B

A/C#

Asus4

"Up On The Roof"

By Goffin/King as performed by James Taylor

[Intro]

Em7 D/F# G A

D Bm F#m7

When this old world starts a getting me down

Em7 A7sus4 D

And people are just too much for me to face

D Bm F#m7

I'll climb way up to the top of the stairs

Em7 A7sus4 D

And all my cares just drift right into space

G A7 G/B A7 Em7 D/F# G A7

On the roof, it's peaceful as can be

D A/C# Bm F#m7 Em7 A7sus4

And there the world below don't bother me, no, no

D Bm F#m7

So when I come home feeling tired and beat

Em7 A7sus4 D

I'll go up where the air is fresh and sweet

D Bm F#m7

I'll get far away from the hustling crowd

Em7 A7sus4 D

And all the rat-race noise down in the street

G A7 G/B A7 Em7 D/F# G A7

On the roof, that's the only place I know

D A/C# Bm F#m7 Em7

Where you just have to wish to make it so

Asus4 D

Let's go up on the roof

[Instrumental]

D Bm Em7 D/F# G A D

G A7 G/B A7 Em7 D/F# G A7

And at night the stars they put on a show for free

D A/C# Bm F#m7 Em7

And, darling, you can share it all with me

A7sus4

That's what I said. Keep on telling you that

D Bm F#m7

Right smack dab in the middle of town,

Em7 A7sus4 D

I found a paradise that's trouble proof

D Bm F#m7

And if this old world starts a getting you down

Em7 A7sus4

There's room enough for two

D Bm

Up on the roof

Bm Em7 D/F# G A

Up on the roof

A D

Up on the roof

repeat 6x

D Bm Em7 D/F# G A D

||: :||

About Up On The Roof Chords by James Taylor

Learn how to play Up On The Roof by James Taylor with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Up On The Roof chords”, “Up On The Roof guitar chords”, or “James Taylor Up On The Roof 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 Up On The Roof chords and for experienced players who want accurate Up On The Roof lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Em7, D/F#, G, A, D, Bm.

FAQ — Up On The Roof by James Taylor

How do I play "Up On The Roof" by James Taylor on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Up On The Roof" by James Taylor 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 "Up On The Roof" by James Taylor free?

Yes. The chords for "Up On The Roof" by James Taylor are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Up On The Roof" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Up On The Roof"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Up On The Roof" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Up On The Roof" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Up On The Roof" by James Taylor with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by James Taylor below.

What key is "Up On The Roof" in?

The chords for "Up On The Roof" show the original chord names (including Em7, D/F#, G, A, D, Bm). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.