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Walk On The Wild Side

Chords

5.01,900 votes

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Font15

KeyOriginal

Chords

Scroll

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

1/15

Tempo 80 BPMVol

Sound:

Position

Step 1 / 15Position: 1

1 index2 middle3 ring4 pinkyO openSpace = play/pause

By: Adam.M.L.
Chords:
    e|--Cx-----|    |----Fx----|    |---Dm1----|
    B|--1-----|    |----1----|    |---3----|
    G|--0-----|    |----2----|    |---2----|
    D|--2-----|    |----3----|    |---0----|
    A|--3-----|    |----x----|    |---x----|
    E|--x-----|    |----x----|    |---x----|
Double bass (going down)
  1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +  1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
G|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|8-----------8\--|1-----------1/--|
Bass guitar (going up)
  1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +  1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
G|----------------|----------------|
D|2-----------2/--|7-----------10\-|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
or, a guitar equivalent:
  1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +  1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----------------|----------------|
B|----------------|----------------|
G|----------------|----------------|
D|2-----------2---/7-----------10\-|
A|3-----------3---/8-----------8-\-|
E|----------------|----------------|
[Intro]
|  C|  F|  C|  F|
|  C|  F|  C|  F|
[Verse]
CHolly came from Miami, F.L.FA.
CHitch-hiked her way across the USFA
CPlucked her eyebrows Dmon the way
FShaved her legs and then Dmhe was a she
She says, CHey babe
Take a walk on the Fwild side
CHey honey
Take a walk on the Fwild side
[Verse]
CCandy came from out on the FIsland
CIn the backroom she was everybody's Fdarlin'
CBut she never Dmlost her head
FEven when she was Dmgiving head
She says, CHey babe
Take a walk on the wFild side
I Said, CHey baby
Take a walk on the wFild side and the coloured girls go
[Bridge]
CDoo do doo do doo do do dFoo ...
[Verse]
CLittle Joe never once gave it aFway
CEverybody had to pay and Fpay
A Chustle here and a Dmhustle there
FNew York City's Dmthe place where they say,
CHey babe, take a walk on the Fwild side
I said, CHey Joe
Take a wFalk on the wild side
[Verse]
CSugar Plum Fairy came and hit the Fstreets
CLookin' for soul food and a place to Feat
CWent to the DmApollo
You Fshould've seen em Dmgo go go
They said, CHey shuga Take a walk on the Fwild side
I Said, CHey babe
Take a walk on the Fwild side
          |  C|  F|  C|  F|
All right, huh
[Verse]
CJackie is just speeding aFway
CThought she was James Dean for a Fday
CThen I guess she Dmhad to crash
FValium would have Dmhelped that bash
Said, CHey babe,
Take a walk on the Fwild side
I said, CHey honey,
Take a walk on the Fwild side and the coloured girls say,
[Refrain]
CDoo do doo do doo do do dFoo ...
(repeat: solo and fade out)

All chords in this song (3)

The story behind the song

"Walk On The Wild Side" is a vivid journey through the lives of various individuals who found their way to New York City, inspired by Nelson Algren's novel of the same name. Each verse paints a portrait of a different "superstar" from Andy Warhol's Factory scene, including Holly Woodlawn, Candy Darling, Joe Dallesandro, Jackie Curtis, and Joe Campbell (as "Sugar Plum Fairy"). The song touches on themes that were considered taboo at its release, such as transgender experiences, drug use, and male prostitution, offering a glimpse into the city's counterculture. Playing this song is like stepping into a series of intimate, unapologetic narratives from a vibrant, unconventional world.

AI-written from these sources:Walk on the Wild Side (Lou Reed song) — Wikipedia ↗Lou Reed — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

Got a tip for playing this song — capo position, easier chords, strumming? Be the first to share one.

Chord Book

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

Walk On The Wild Side

by Lou Reed

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

By: Adam.M.L.

Chords:

C F Dm

e|--x-----| |----x----| |---1----|

B|--1-----| |----1----| |---3----|

G|--0-----| |----2----| |---2----|

D|--2-----| |----3----| |---0----|

A|--3-----| |----x----| |---x----|

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

Double bass (going down)

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

G|----------------|----------------|

D|----------------|----------------|

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

E|8-----------8\--|1-----------1/--|

Bass guitar (going up)

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

G|----------------|----------------|

D|2-----------2/--|7-----------10\-|

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

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

or, a guitar equivalent:

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

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

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

G|----------------|----------------|

D|2-----------2---/7-----------10\-|

A|3-----------3---/8-----------8-\-|

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

[Intro]

C F C F

| | | | |

C F C F

| | | | |

[Verse]

C F

Holly came from Miami, F.L.A.

C F

Hitch-hiked her way across the USA

C Dm

Plucked her eyebrows on the way

F Dm

Shaved her legs and then he was a she

She says, Hey babe

Take a walk on the wild side

Hey honey

Take a walk on the wild side

[Verse]

C F

Candy came from out on the Island

C F

In the backroom she was everybody's darlin'

C Dm

But she never lost her head

F Dm

Even when she was giving head

She says, Hey babe

Take a walk on the wild side

I Said, Hey baby

Take a walk on the wild side and the coloured girls go

[Bridge]

C F

Doo do doo do doo do do doo ...

[Verse]

C F

Little Joe never once gave it away

C F

Everybody had to pay and pay

C Dm

A hustle here and a hustle there

F Dm

New York City's the place where they say,

C F

Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side

I said, Hey Joe

Take a walk on the wild side

[Verse]

C F

Sugar Plum Fairy came and hit the streets

C F

Lookin' for soul food and a place to eat

C Dm

Went to the Apollo

F Dm

You should've seen em go go go

C F

They said, Hey shuga Take a walk on the wild side

I Said, Hey babe

Take a walk on the wild side

C F C F

| | | | |

All right, huh

[Verse]

C F

Jackie is just speeding away

C F

Thought she was James Dean for a day

C Dm

Then I guess she had to crash

F Dm

Valium would have helped that bash

Said, Hey babe,

Take a walk on the wild side

I said, Hey honey,

Take a walk on the wild side and the coloured girls say,

[Refrain]

C F

Doo do doo do doo do do doo ...

(repeat: solo and fade out)

About Walk On The Wild Side Chords by Lou Reed

Learn how to play Walk On The Wild Side by Lou Reed with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Walk On The Wild Side chords”, “Walk On The Wild Side guitar chords”, or “Lou Reed Walk On The Wild Side 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 Walk On The Wild Side chords and for experienced players who want accurate Walk On The Wild Side lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C, F, Dm, B, G, D.

FAQ — Walk On The Wild Side by Lou Reed

How do I play "Walk On The Wild Side" by Lou Reed on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Walk On The Wild Side" by Lou Reed 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 "Walk On The Wild Side" by Lou Reed free?

Yes. The chords for "Walk On The Wild Side" by Lou Reed are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Walk On The Wild Side" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Walk On The Wild Side"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Walk On The Wild Side" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Walk On The Wild Side" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Walk On The Wild Side" by Lou Reed with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Lou Reed below.

What key is "Walk On The Wild Side" in?

The chords for "Walk On The Wild Side" show the original chord names (including C, F, Dm, B, G, D). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.