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Southern State

Chords

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KeyOriginal

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Capo on fret 3 (as written in this song)

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

Capo 3
I play this on classical guitar.  When playing A's and D's throw in occasional 
hammers on the 2nd and 3rd fret.
Well the Dsongs you sung spiraled
And F#mhung 'round like echoes 
Or Emripples on a pondA  
So you Dcircled the globe
Spent a F#myear on the road
WithouEmt ever going Ahome
More than a Dcouple of days, 
Then you’d F#mleave right away
Run to a Emgirl you barely Aknow
But you Dlike how she sings
And you F#mcan’t help but think
That there’s Emsomething that she Aknows and could teach you
  EmWhile you’re sleeping in that Asouthern state
  EmWhere the bars are filled with Apeople you can’t hate
But Emtry as you try
You Astill can’t relate to them 
And you Emdrink that whiskey downA  
As they ask you, 
“BmAre you who you sGay you aDre?”
ABmre you who you saGy that you are?D  
ABmre you who you saGy that you are, yDou…
ADre you who you sDay that you are?
ABmre you who you saGy you aDre?Em  G  
The fact that Ayou can’t tell makes us like you even more
D F#m Em A
So now you’re Dtrying again
Or just F#mvisiting friends
One haEmd just had his heart Abroke
For the first Dtime in his life
He realF#mized there are times
When you Emcan’t make it aAlone
But now you’re Dgiving advice
As if F#myou had the right
To Emuse a word like “Alove”
It’s a neDgotiable term
What gets F#msaid’s not what’s heard
So it’s Emdifferent then for Aeveryone
But you're still Emhanging ‘round that Acollege town
With youEmr…your new life your new lovAer you’ve found 
And you’re Emkeeping her up at night, Abringing her down
She’ll watch you Emdrink yourself to deAath
But won’t ask you, 
“iBms this reGally what you waDnt?”
IBms this reGally what you wDant?
IBms this reallGy what you is this wDhat...
Is Bmthis really Gwhat you want?
BmIs this reGally what you waDnt?Em  G  
                                                             A  D, F#m  
Are you just sticking with it now because it’s all you’ve got?
                                        Em                     A  D, F#m  
Are you just sticking with it now because it’s all you’ve got?
Yeah that’s it, I think you’re Emsticking with me now 
Because AI’m all you’ve got
D, F#m, Em, A  

All chords in this song (6)

The story behind the song

Bright Eyes is the project of singer-songwriter and guitarist Conor Oberst, joined by multi-instrumentalist Mike Mogis and arranger Nate Walcott, along with a rotating cast of collaborators from the Omaha indie music scene. The band is known for its distinctive indie rock sound. "Southern State" appears on the release "Home, Vol. 4." Playing this song can evoke the introspective and often poignant atmosphere characteristic of Oberst's songwriting.

AI-written from these sources:Bright Eyes (band) — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

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Southern State

by Bright Eyes

Lyrics & chords · Original key · Capo on fret 3 (as written in this song)

Chords in this song · guitar

F#m

Capo 3

I play this on classical guitar. When playing A's and D's throw in occasional

hammers on the 2nd and 3rd fret.

Well the songs you sung spiraled

F#m

And hung 'round like echoes

Em A

Or ripples on a pond

So you circled the globe

F#m

Spent a year on the road

Em A

Without ever going home

More than a couple of days,

F#m

Then you’d leave right away

Em A

Run to a girl you barely know

But you like how she sings

F#m

And you can’t help but think

Em A

That there’s something that she knows and could teach you

Em A

While you’re sleeping in that southern state

Em A

Where the bars are filled with people you can’t hate

But try as you try

You still can’t relate to them

Em A

And you drink that whiskey down

As they ask you,

Bm G D

“Are you who you say you are?”

Bm G D

Are you who you say that you are?

Bm G D

Are you who you say that you are, you…

D D

Are you who you say that you are?

Bm G D Em G

Are you who you say you are?

The fact that you can’t tell makes us like you even more

D F#m Em A

So now you’re trying again

F#m

Or just visiting friends

Em A

One had just had his heart broke

For the first time in his life

F#m

He realized there are times

Em A

When you can’t make it alone

But now you’re giving advice

F#m

As if you had the right

Em A

To use a word like “love”

It’s a negotiable term

F#m

What gets said’s not what’s heard

Em A

So it’s different then for everyone

Em A

But you're still hanging ‘round that college town

Em A

With your…your new life your new lover you’ve found

Em A

And you’re keeping her up at night, bringing her down

Em A

She’ll watch you drink yourself to death

But won’t ask you,

Bm G D

“is this really what you want?”

Bm G D

Is this really what you want?

Bm G D

Is this really what you is this what...

Bm G

Is this really what you want?

Bm G D Em G

Is this really what you want?

A D F#m

Are you just sticking with it now because it’s all you’ve got?

Em A D F#m

Are you just sticking with it now because it’s all you’ve got?

Yeah that’s it, I think you’re sticking with me now

Because I’m all you’ve got

D F#m Em A

, , ,

About Southern State Chords by Bright Eyes

Learn how to play Southern State by Bright Eyes with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Southern State chords”, “Southern State guitar chords”, or “Bright Eyes Southern State 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 Southern State chords and for experienced players who want accurate Southern State lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include A, D, F#m, Em, Bm, G.

FAQ — Southern State by Bright Eyes

How do I play "Southern State" by Bright Eyes on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Southern State" by Bright Eyes 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 "Southern State" by Bright Eyes free?

Yes. The chords for "Southern State" by Bright Eyes are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Southern State" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Southern State"?

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

Is "Southern State" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Southern State" by Bright Eyes with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Bright Eyes below.

What key is "Southern State" in?

The chords for "Southern State" show the original chord names (including A, D, F#m, Em, Bm, G). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.