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The Joke

Chords

4.91,637 votes

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[Intro]
D  Am  G  D
[Verse 1]
DYou're feeling nervous, aren't you, Amboy?
With your quiet Gvoice and impeccable Dstyle
Don't ever let them steal your Amjoy
And your gentle Gways, to keep 'em from running Dwild
They can kick dirt in your face
AmDress you down, and tell you that your place
Is in the Gmiddle, when they hate the way you Dshine
I see you tugging on your Amshirt
Trying to hide inGside of it and hide how much it Dhurts
[Refrain]
Let 'em Dlaugh while they Amcan
Let 'em Gspin, let 'em Gmscatter in the Dwind
I have been to the F#movies, I've seen how it Gends
And the Gmjoke's on DthemAm  G  D  
[Verse 2]
DYou get discouraged, don't you, girAml?
It's your brother's wGorld for a while longerD  
We gotta Ddance with the devil on a river
To beat the strAmeam
Call it living the Gdream, call it kicking the lDadder
They cDome to kick dirt in your face
To Amcall you weak and then displace you
After Gcarrying your baby on your back across the desDert
I saw your eyes behind your Amhair
And you're looking tiGred, but you don't look scDared
[Refrain]
Let 'em Dlaugh while they Amcan
Let 'em Gspin, let 'em Gmscatter in the Dwind
I have been to the F#movies, I've seen how it Gends
And the Gmjoke's on Dthem
[Interlude]
D  Am  G  D
Let 'em Dlaugh while they Amcan
Let 'em Gspin, let 'em Gmscatter in the Dwind
I have been to the F#movies, I've seen how it Gends
                Gm       D   Am-    G-   Gm  
And the joke's on them
[Outro]
D  Am  G  D
D  Am  G  D
D  Am  G  D

All chords in this song (5)

The story behind the song

"The Joke" is a song born from the idea of creating another powerful vocal moment, much like Carlile's earlier hit, "The Story." It aims to uplift those who feel marginalized by society, drawing inspiration from the musical spirit of Elvis Presley's "An American Trilogy." Released as the lead single from her album By the Way, I Forgive You, the song carries a message of hope and resilience. It plays like an anthem for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider.

AI-written from these sources:The Joke (song) — Wikipedia ↗Brandi Carlile — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

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Chord Book

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

The Joke

by Brandi Carlile

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[Intro]

D Am G D

[Verse 1]

D Am

You're feeling nervous, aren't you, boy?

G D

With your quiet voice and impeccable style

Don't ever let them steal your joy

G D

And your gentle ways, to keep 'em from running wild

They can kick dirt in your face

Dress you down, and tell you that your place

G D

Is in the middle, when they hate the way you shine

I see you tugging on your shirt

G D

Trying to hide inside of it and hide how much it hurts

[Refrain]

D Am

Let 'em laugh while they can

G Gm D

Let 'em spin, let 'em scatter in the wind

F# G

I have been to the movies, I've seen how it ends

Gm D Am G D

And the joke's on them

[Verse 2]

D Am

You get discouraged, don't you, girl?

G D

It's your brother's world for a while longer

We gotta dance with the devil on a river

To beat the stream

G D

Call it living the dream, call it kicking the ladder

They come to kick dirt in your face

To call you weak and then displace you

G D

After carrying your baby on your back across the desert

I saw your eyes behind your hair

G D

And you're looking tired, but you don't look scared

[Refrain]

D Am

Let 'em laugh while they can

G Gm D

Let 'em spin, let 'em scatter in the wind

F# G

I have been to the movies, I've seen how it ends

Gm D

And the joke's on them

[Interlude]

D Am G D

D Am

Let 'em laugh while they can

G Gm D

Let 'em spin, let 'em scatter in the wind

F# G

I have been to the movies, I've seen how it ends

Gm D Am G Gm

- -

And the joke's on them

[Outro]

D Am G D

About The Joke Chords by Brandi Carlile

Learn how to play The Joke by Brandi Carlile with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “The Joke chords”, “The Joke guitar chords”, or “Brandi Carlile The Joke 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 The Joke chords and for experienced players who want accurate The Joke lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include D, Am, G, Gm, F#.

FAQ — The Joke by Brandi Carlile

How do I play "The Joke" by Brandi Carlile on guitar?

Open the free chords for "The Joke" by Brandi Carlile 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 "The Joke" by Brandi Carlile free?

Yes. The chords for "The Joke" by Brandi Carlile are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "The Joke" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "The Joke"?

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

Is "The Joke" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "The Joke" by Brandi Carlile with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Brandi Carlile below.

What key is "The Joke" in?

The chords for "The Joke" show the original chord names (including D, Am, G, Gm, F#). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.