Deacon Blues
Chords
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15
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Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams
[Intro]
Cmaj7 Bm7#5 Bbmaj7 Am7#5 Dmaj7 C#m7#5 Cmaj7 Bm7#5
Ebmaj7 E7#9
[Verse 1]
G13This is the F13day of the exG/Apanding F13man
G13That shape is my F13shade there where I G/Aused to sD9tand
Fmaj7It seems like E7-9only yesterAm7day I gazed through the gBb13lass
At E7ramblers, wild gB7amblers
That's Bm7b5all in the pE7astBm7b5 E7#9
[Verse 2]
G13You call me a F13fool you say it's a G/Acrazy F13scheme
G13This one's for F13real I already G/Abought the A7dream
Fmaj7So useless to E7-9ask me why
Am7Throw a kiss and Gm7say goodbyeF#maj7 Fmaj7
I'll make it thiEm7#5s time
D9I'm ready to F/Gcross that fine line
[Chorus]
Am7I'll Learn to work the Em7saxophone
Dm7I'll play Cmaj7just what I feel
Bbmaj7Drink scotch whiskey Amall night Am/GlongAm/F# Fmaj7
And Em7#5die Fmaj9behind the Am7wheel
They got a name for the wEm7inners in the world
Dm7I want a Cmaj7name when I lose
They Bbmaj7call Alabama the Amcrimson Am/GtideAm/F# Fmaj7
Em7#5Call me Fmaj7Deacon Am7Blues (DeacoEm7n Blues)
[Instrumental]
Dmaj7 C#m7#5 Cmaj7 Bm7#5 Ebmaj7 E7#9
[Verse 3]
G13My back to the F13wall a victim of G/Alaughing F13chance
G13This is for F13me the essence of G/Atrue roD9mance
Fmaj7Sharing the E7-9things we know and Am7love with those of my kiBb13nd
LiE7bations, senB7sations which B7#9stagger the E7mindB7#9 E7
G13I crawl like a F13viper through these suG/Aburban F13streets
G13Make love to these F13women languid and G/AbitterA7sweet
Fmaj7I'll rise when the E7-9sun goes down
Am7Cover every Gm7game in towF#maj7nFmaj7
A world of my owEm7#5n
D9I'll make it F/Gmy home sweet home
[Chorus]
Am7I'll Learn to work the Em7saxophone
Dm7I'll play Cmaj7just what I feel
Bbmaj7Drink scotch whiskey Amall night Am/GlongAm/F# Fmaj7
And Em7#5die Fmaj9behind the Am7wheel
They got a name for the wEm7inners in the world
Dm7I want a Cmaj7name when I lose
They Bbmaj7call Alabama the Amcrimson Am/GtideAm/F# Fmaj7
Em7#5Call me Fmaj7Deacon Am7Blues (DeacoEm7n Blues)
[Instrumental]
Dmaj7 C#m7#5 Cmaj7 Bm7#5 Bb13 Bm7#5
[Instrumental]
Cmaj7 Em7 A13 D7#5#9 G13 B7#9 Em7 A13
Fmaj7 F#7#9 Gmaj7 B7#9
Cmaj7 Em7 A13 D7#5#9 G13 B7#9 Em7 A13
Fmaj7 F#7#9 Gmaj7 B7#9
[Reprise Intro]
Cmaj7 Bm7#5 Bbmaj7 Am7#5 Dmaj7 C#m7#5 Cmaj7 Bm7#5
Ebmaj7 E7#9
[Verse 4]
G13This is the F13night of the exG/Apanding F13man
G13I take one last dF13rag as I apprG/Aoach the A7stand
Fmaj7I cried when I E7-9wrote this song
Am7Sue me if I Gm7play too longF#maj7 Fmaj7
This brother is Em7#5free
D9I'll be what I F/Gwant to be
[Chorus]
Am7I'll Learn to work the Em7saxophone
Dm7I'll play Cmaj7just what I feel
Bbmaj7Drink scotch whiskey Amall night Am/GlongAm/F# Fmaj7
And Em7#5die Fmaj9behind the Am7wheel
They got a name for the wEm7inners in the world
Dm7I want a Cmaj7name when I lose
They Bbmaj7call Alabama the Amcrimson Am/GtideAm/F# Fmaj7
Em7#5Call me Fmaj7Deacon Am7Blues (DeacoEm7n Blues)
[Outro]
(Same as first half of 1st Verse - except play D9-5 instead of D9
Keep repeating this half verse to fade)
G13 F13 G/A F13
G13 F13 G/A D9-5
Chord Shapes
------------
As before, A=10, B=11 to make the shapes simpler to type out
(Note that Dmaj7 becomes ABBA !!!)
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
8X998X 7X778X 6X776X 5X556X AXBBAX 9X99AX
Cmaj7 Bm7#5 Bbmaj7 Am7#5 Dmaj7 C#m7#5
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
x68786 07678x 353453 3x345x 131231 1x123x
Ebmaj7 E7#9 G13 G13 F13 F13
(Take your pick !)
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
x0543x x5455x 133210 07676x 5x5555 6x678x
G/A D9 Fmaj7 E7-9 Am7 Bb13
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
020100 x24242 x2123x 3x3333 2x332x x7x788
E7 B7 B7#9 Gm7 F#maj7 Em7#5
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
3x321x x79787 x57565 x02210 3x2210 2x2210
F/G Em7 Dm7 Am Am/G Am/F#
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
x8a9a8 x54566 242355 3x443x x5x554
Fmaj7(Viii) D7#5#9 F#7#9 Gmaj7 D9-5
Any mistakes with words or chords - please let me know.
I don't think I missed out any shapes , but I might have let one slip...
All chords in this song (24)
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Deacon Blues
by Steely Dan
Chords in this song · guitar
Cmaj7
Bm7#5
Bbmaj7
Am7#5
Dmaj7
C#m7#5
Ebmaj7
E7#9
G13
F13
G/A
D9
Fmaj7
E7-9
Am7
Bb13
E7
B7
Bm7b5
A7
Gm7
F#maj7
Em7#5
F/G
[Intro]
Cmaj7 Bm7#5 Bbmaj7 Am7#5 Dmaj7 C#m7#5 Cmaj7 Bm7#5
Ebmaj7 E7#9
[Verse 1]
G13 F13 G/A F13
This is the day of the expanding man
G13 F13 G/A D9
That shape is my shade there where I used to stand
Fmaj7 E7-9 Am7 Bb13
It seems like only yesterday I gazed through the glass
E7 B7
At ramblers, wild gamblers
Bm7b5 E7 Bm7b5 E7#9
That's all in the past
[Verse 2]
G13 F13 G/A F13
You call me a fool you say it's a crazy scheme
G13 F13 G/A A7
This one's for real I already bought the dream
Fmaj7 E7-9
So useless to ask me why
Am7 Gm7 F#maj7 Fmaj7
Throw a kiss and say goodbye
Em7#5
I'll make it this time
D9 F/G
I'm ready to cross that fine line
[Chorus]
Am7 Em7
I'll Learn to work the saxophone
Dm7 Cmaj7
I'll play just what I feel
Bbmaj7 Am Am/G Am/F# Fmaj7
Drink scotch whiskey all night long
Em7#5 Fmaj9 Am7
And die behind the wheel
Em7
They got a name for the winners in the world
Dm7 Cmaj7
I want a name when I lose
Bbmaj7 Am Am/G Am/F# Fmaj7
They call Alabama the crimson tide
Em7#5 Fmaj7 Am7 Em7
Call me Deacon Blues (Deacon Blues)
[Instrumental]
Dmaj7 C#m7#5 Cmaj7 Bm7#5 Ebmaj7 E7#9
[Verse 3]
G13 F13 G/A F13
My back to the wall a victim of laughing chance
G13 F13 G/A D9
This is for me the essence of true romance
Fmaj7 E7-9 Am7 Bb13
Sharing the things we know and love with those of my kind
E7 B7 B7#9 E7 B7#9 E7
Libations, sensations which stagger the mind
G13 F13 G/A F13
I crawl like a viper through these suburban streets
G13 F13 G/A A7
Make love to these women languid and bittersweet
Fmaj7 E7-9
I'll rise when the sun goes down
Am7 Gm7 F#maj7 Fmaj7
Cover every game in town
Em7#5
A world of my own
D9 F/G
I'll make it my home sweet home
[Chorus]
Am7 Em7
I'll Learn to work the saxophone
Dm7 Cmaj7
I'll play just what I feel
Bbmaj7 Am Am/G Am/F# Fmaj7
Drink scotch whiskey all night long
Em7#5 Fmaj9 Am7
And die behind the wheel
Em7
They got a name for the winners in the world
Dm7 Cmaj7
I want a name when I lose
Bbmaj7 Am Am/G Am/F# Fmaj7
They call Alabama the crimson tide
Em7#5 Fmaj7 Am7 Em7
Call me Deacon Blues (Deacon Blues)
[Instrumental]
Dmaj7 C#m7#5 Cmaj7 Bm7#5 Bb13 Bm7#5
[Instrumental]
Cmaj7 Em7 A13 D7#5#9 G13 B7#9 Em7 A13
Fmaj7 F#7#9 Gmaj7 B7#9
Cmaj7 Em7 A13 D7#5#9 G13 B7#9 Em7 A13
Fmaj7 F#7#9 Gmaj7 B7#9
[Reprise Intro]
Cmaj7 Bm7#5 Bbmaj7 Am7#5 Dmaj7 C#m7#5 Cmaj7 Bm7#5
Ebmaj7 E7#9
[Verse 4]
G13 F13 G/A F13
This is the night of the expanding man
G13 F13 G/A A7
I take one last drag as I approach the stand
Fmaj7 E7-9
I cried when I wrote this song
Am7 Gm7 F#maj7 Fmaj7
Sue me if I play too long
Em7#5
This brother is free
D9 F/G
I'll be what I want to be
[Chorus]
Am7 Em7
I'll Learn to work the saxophone
Dm7 Cmaj7
I'll play just what I feel
Bbmaj7 Am Am/G Am/F# Fmaj7
Drink scotch whiskey all night long
Em7#5 Fmaj9 Am7
And die behind the wheel
Em7
They got a name for the winners in the world
Dm7 Cmaj7
I want a name when I lose
Bbmaj7 Am Am/G Am/F# Fmaj7
They call Alabama the crimson tide
Em7#5 Fmaj7 Am7 Em7
Call me Deacon Blues (Deacon Blues)
[Outro]
(Same as first half of 1st Verse - except play D9-5 instead of D9
Keep repeating this half verse to fade)
G13 F13 G/A F13
G13 F13 G/A D9-5
Chord Shapes
------------
As before, A=10, B=11 to make the shapes simpler to type out
(Note that Dmaj7 becomes ABBA !!!)
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
A
8X998X 7X778X 6X776X 5X556X XBBAX 9X99AX
Cmaj7 Bm7#5 Bbmaj7 Am7#5 Dmaj7 C#m7#5
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
x68786 07678x 353453 3x345x 131231 1x123x
Ebmaj7 E7#9 G13 G13 F13 F13
(Take your pick !)
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
x0543x x5455x 133210 07676x 5x5555 6x678x
G/A D9 Fmaj7 E7-9 Am7 Bb13
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
020100 x24242 x2123x 3x3333 2x332x x7x788
E7 B7 B7#9 Gm7 F#maj7 Em7#5
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
3x321x x79787 x57565 x02210 3x2210 2x2210
F/G Em7 Dm7 Am Am/G Am/F#
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
x8a9a8 x54566 242355 3x443x x5x554
D7#5#9 F#7#9 Gmaj7 D9-5
Fmaj7(Viii)
Any mistakes with words or chords - please let me know.
I don't think I missed out any shapes , but I might have let one slip...
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About Deacon Blues Chords by Steely Dan
Learn how to play Deacon Blues by Steely Dan with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Deacon Blues chords”, “Deacon Blues guitar chords”, or “Steely Dan Deacon 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 Deacon Blues chords and for experienced players who want accurate Deacon Blues lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Cmaj7, Bm7#5, Bbmaj7, Am7#5, Dmaj7, C#m7#5.
FAQ — Deacon Blues by Steely Dan
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What key is "Deacon Blues" in?
The chords for "Deacon Blues" show the original chord names (including Cmaj7, Bm7#5, Bbmaj7, Am7#5, Dmaj7, C#m7#5). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.