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Paranoia Blues

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Emajor

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

Words & music by Paul Simon 1972
                    |      E|
I got some so-called friends
                          |  E7|
 They'll smile right to my face
                    |     A|
 Oh, when my back is turned
               |           E  
 They'd like to stick it to me
        |
Yes they would 
     |   |      |  |
Oh no no,  oh no no
        |               A|       E   C#m  
 There's only one thing I need to know
     |  F#7       B7|  E|
Whose side are you on?
              | E|
I fly into J.F.K.
                        |  E7|
 My heart goes boom boom boom
                    |  A|
 I know that customs man
              |           E  
 He's going to take me
              |
To that little room
     |   |       |  |
Oh no no.  Oh no, no
        |               A|       E   C#m  
 There's only one thing I need to know
     |                    F#7            B7|  E  
Whose side are you on, whose side are you on?
         |A  
I got the paranoia blues
    |                           |   E|
Fnom knockin' around in New York City
          |             A  
Where they roll you for a nickel
        |                       |   A|  |
And they stick you for the extra dime
AAnyway you choose
      |                         |E  
You're bound to lose in New York City
   |          A                  B7|E  
Oh, I just got out in the nick of time
     |          A                  B7|   E|
Well, I just got out in the nick of time
                       |   E|
Once I was down in Chinatown
                             | E7|
 I was eating some Lin's Chow Fon
                    |    A|
 I happened to turn around
           |       E  
 And when I looked I see
             |
My Chow Fon's gone
      |   |       |  |
Oh no, no,  Oh no, no
       |               A|       E  C#m  
There's only one thing I need to know
     |                     F#            B7|  E|
Whose side are you on, whose side are you on?
              |              B7|       E  A  
 Well, there's only one thing I need to know
     |          F#           B7|   E|  |
Whose side, whose side, whose side? 

All chords in this song (7)

Open

O221OO

Major chord - Happy, bright sound

✕ Mute Open Press

Skill · find home

E major

This chord is home. When a line ends, land here.

Paranoia Blues

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Paranoia Blues

by Paul Simon

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

C#m

F#7

Words & music by Paul Simon 1972

| |

I got some so-called friends

| |

They'll smile right to my face

| |

Oh, when my back is turned

They'd like to stick it to me

Yes they would

| | | |

Oh no no, oh no no

A E C#m

| |

There's only one thing I need to know

F#7 B7 E

| | |

Whose side are you on?

| |

I fly into J.F.K.

| |

My heart goes boom boom boom

| |

I know that customs man

He's going to take me

To that little room

| | | |

Oh no no. Oh no, no

A E C#m

| |

There's only one thing I need to know

F#7 B7 E

| |

Whose side are you on, whose side are you on?

I got the paranoia blues

| | |

Fnom knockin' around in New York City

Where they roll you for a nickel

| | | |

And they stick you for the extra dime

Anyway you choose

| |

You're bound to lose in New York City

A B7 E

| |

Oh, I just got out in the nick of time

A B7 E

| | |

Well, I just got out in the nick of time

| |

Once I was down in Chinatown

| |

I was eating some Lin's Chow Fon

| |

I happened to turn around

And when I looked I see

My Chow Fon's gone

| | | |

Oh no, no, Oh no, no

A E C#m

| |

There's only one thing I need to know

F# B7 E

| | |

Whose side are you on, whose side are you on?

B7 E A

| |

Well, there's only one thing I need to know

F# B7 E

| | | |

Whose side, whose side, whose side?

About Paranoia Blues Chords by Paul Simon

Learn how to play Paranoia Blues by Paul Simon with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Paranoia Blues chords”, “Paranoia Blues guitar chords”, or “Paul Simon Paranoia 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 Paranoia Blues chords and for experienced players who want accurate Paranoia Blues lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include E, E7, A, C#m, F#7, B7.

FAQ — Paranoia Blues by Paul Simon

How do I play "Paranoia Blues" by Paul Simon on guitar?

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Can I transpose "Paranoia Blues" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Paranoia Blues"?

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

Is "Paranoia Blues" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Paranoia Blues" by Paul Simon with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Paul Simon below.

What key is "Paranoia Blues" in?

The chords for "Paranoia Blues" show the original chord names (including E, E7, A, C#m, F#7, B7). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.