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I Was Only Joking

Chords

4.8885 votes

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1/9

Tempo 80 BPMVol

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Position

Step 1 / 9Position: 2

1 index2 middle3 ring4 pinkyO openSpace = play/pause

I Was Only Joking - Rod Stewart
This is the riff which is played after the Chorus
e|---------------------|
B|-----------------2-2-|
G|-----------------2-2-|
D|-----------------2-2-|
A|-0-2-4-2-0-------0-0-|
E|------------2-0------|
[Verse 1]
AEver since I was a Amaj7kid at school
  A7I messed around with aDll the rules
  DmApologised then Arealised I'm not Edifferent after allA  
  AMe and the boys thought we Amaj7had it sussedA7, Valentinos, Dall of us
  DmMy dad said we looked rAidiculous but Eboy, we broke some heartAs
  AIn and out of jobs, Amaj7runnin' freeA7, waging war with soDciety
  DmDumb, blank faces stare Aback at me Ebut nothing ever chaAnged
APromises made in the Amaj7heat of the nightA7, creepin' home before it Dgot too light
  DmI wasted all that Aprecious time and Eblamed it on the wineA  
[Chorus]
AI was only Djo-Eking  my dAear (my dear)
Looking for Da way tEo hide mF#my fear (my fear)
What kind oDf fo-ol EwaAs I (was I)
I could Bmnever win (never win)      ......Riff
[Verse 2]
  ANever found a Amaj7compromiseA7, collected lovers like Dbutterflies
  DmIllusions of that grAand first prize are Eslowly wearin' thinA  
ASusie, baby, you were Amaj7good to meA7, givin' love unDselfishly
  DmBut you took it all too Aseriously
I Eguess it had to endA  
[Chorus]
AI was only Djo-Eking  my dAear (my dear)
Looking for Da way tEo hide mF#my fear (my fear)
What kind oDf fo-ol EwaAs I (was I)
I could Bmnever win (never win)      ......Riff
[Instrumental]
 A   Amaj7   A7   D   Dm   A   E        Ax2
A D E F#m Bm F#m E
A D E F#m Bm F#m E A
D E A
D E F#m
D E A Bm
[Verse 3]
  ANow you ask me if Amaj7I'm sincereA7, that's the question that I Dalways fear
  DmVerse seven is Anever clear but I'll Etell you what you wanna hearA  
  AI try to give you Amaj7all you want A7but givin' love is not my Dstrongest point
  DmIf that's the case it's pointless Agoin' on, I'd Erather be aloneA  
[Verse 4]
'Cause Awhat I'm doin' Amaj7must be wrong, A7pourin' my heart out Din a song
  DmOwning up for proAsperity, for the Ewhole damn world to seAe
AQuietly now while I Amaj7turn a pageA7, Act One is over without Dcostume change
  DmThe principal would like to Aleave the stage
The cErowd don't understAand

All chords in this song (8)

The story behind the song

This song is a gentle ballad about the journey of growing and learning. It features insightful lyrics interpreted over a rhythmic, semi-acoustic rock foundation, complemented by string and mandolin playing. It was released on Rod Stewart's 1977 album, Foot Loose & Fancy Free, and was considered one of the most thoughtful songs from that album. Playing this song can evoke a sense of reflection on life's lessons and personal evolution.

AI-written from these sources:I Was Only Joking — Wikipedia ↗Rod Stewart — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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I Was Only Joking

by Rod Stewart

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Amaj7

F#m

I Was Only Joking - Rod Stewart

This is the riff which is played after the Chorus

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

B|-----------------2-2-|

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

D|-----------------2-2-|

A|-0-2-4-2-0-------0-0-|

E|------------2-0------|

[Verse 1]

A Amaj7

Ever since I was a kid at school

A7 D

I messed around with all the rules

Dm A E A

Apologised then realised I'm not different after all

A Amaj7 A7 D

Me and the boys thought we had it sussed, Valentinos, all of us

Dm A E A

My dad said we looked ridiculous but boy, we broke some hearts

A Amaj7 A7 D

In and out of jobs, runnin' free, waging war with society

Dm A E A

Dumb, blank faces stare back at me but nothing ever changed

A Amaj7 A7 D

Promises made in the heat of the night, creepin' home before it got too light

Dm A E A

I wasted all that precious time and blamed it on the wine

[Chorus]

A D E A

I was only jo-king my dear (my dear)

D E F#m

Looking for a way to hide my fear (my fear)

D E A

What kind of fo-ol was I (was I)

I could never win (never win) ......Riff

[Verse 2]

A Amaj7 A7 D

Never found a compromise, collected lovers like butterflies

Dm A E A

Illusions of that grand first prize are slowly wearin' thin

A Amaj7 A7 D

Susie, baby, you were good to me, givin' love unselfishly

Dm A

But you took it all too seriously

E A

I guess it had to end

[Chorus]

A D E A

I was only jo-king my dear (my dear)

D E F#m

Looking for a way to hide my fear (my fear)

D E A

What kind of fo-ol was I (was I)

I could never win (never win) ......Riff

[Instrumental]

A Amaj7 A7 D Dm A E A

A D E F#m Bm F#m E

A D E F#m Bm F#m E A

D E A

D E F#m

D E A Bm

[Verse 3]

A Amaj7 A7 D

Now you ask me if I'm sincere, that's the question that I always fear

Dm A E A

Verse seven is never clear but I'll tell you what you wanna hear

A Amaj7 A7 D

I try to give you all you want but givin' love is not my strongest point

Dm A E A

If that's the case it's pointless goin' on, I'd rather be alone

[Verse 4]

A Amaj7 A7 D

'Cause what I'm doin' must be wrong, pourin' my heart out in a song

Dm A E A

Owning up for prosperity, for the whole damn world to see

A Amaj7 A7 D

Quietly now while I turn a page, Act One is over without costume change

Dm A

The principal would like to leave the stage

E A

The crowd don't understand

About I Was Only Joking Chords by Rod Stewart

Learn how to play I Was Only Joking by Rod Stewart with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “I Was Only Joking chords”, “I Was Only Joking guitar chords”, or “Rod Stewart I Was Only Joking 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 I Was Only Joking chords and for experienced players who want accurate I Was Only Joking lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include B, G, D, A, E, Amaj7.

FAQ — I Was Only Joking by Rod Stewart

How do I play "I Was Only Joking" by Rod Stewart on guitar?

Open the free chords for "I Was Only Joking" by Rod Stewart 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 "I Was Only Joking" by Rod Stewart free?

Yes. The chords for "I Was Only Joking" by Rod Stewart are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "I Was Only Joking" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "I Was Only Joking"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "I Was Only Joking" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "I Was Only Joking" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "I Was Only Joking" by Rod Stewart with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Rod Stewart below.

What key is "I Was Only Joking" in?

The chords for "I Was Only Joking" show the original chord names (including B, G, D, A, E, Amaj7). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.