Is Free Chord Book really free?

Yes. Free Chord Book is 100% free with no sign-up required. Access 670,000+ guitar chords, tabs, and lyrics for every song you want to learn.

How do I transpose chords to a different key?

Open any song and use the transpose buttons to move every chord up or down by half-steps. Perfect for singers who need a different key or capo players.

Can I see chord diagrams while I play?

Yes. Tap any chord in a song to instantly see its interactive guitar chord diagram, including alternate fingerings and variations.

What's the difference between guitar chords and guitar tabs?

Chords show you which strings to strum together (great for rhythm playing and singing). Tabs (tablature) show you exact note-by-note fingerings, which is great for solos, riffs, and fingerpicking.

Does Free Chord Book work on mobile?

Yes. Free Chord Book is fully responsive and works on phones, tablets, and desktops. Use auto-scroll to play hands-free. There is also a free iPhone app (The Chord Book) and Android app (Free Chords).

Is there an iPhone or Android app?

Yes. Download The Chord Book on the Apple App Store and Free Chords on Google Play. Same 670,000+ songs, transpose, tuner, and auto-scroll — 100% free.

Can I print guitar chords?

Yes. Open any song and tap the Print button next to Save. You'll get a branded chord sheet with the Chord Book logo, ready for practice.

Is there a built-in guitar tuner?

Yes. Free Chord Book includes a free online guitar tuner that uses your microphone and YIN pitch detection for accurate tuning in standard and alternate tunings.

How many songs are available?

Over 670,000 songs with chords, tabs, and lyrics — covering every genre, from rock and pop to country, indie, folk, and Hebrew songs.

Is Free Chord Book a good alternative to Ultimate Guitar?

Yes. Free Chord Book is a fast, ad-free, 100% free alternative to Ultimate Guitar with interactive chord diagrams, instant transpose, auto-scroll, and a built-in tuner — no account required.

SavedFavorites

1979

Chords

4.81,680 votes

Listen

YouTubeYouTube SpotifySpotify AppleApple Music

Font15

KeyOriginal

Chords

Scroll

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

The Smashing Pumpkins - 1979
Tuning:  Eb   Ab   Db   Gb   Bbeb
[Chords Used]
  Emaj7021100
      E022100
      Ax02220
   F#m7242252
     F#244322
      Bx24442
  Amaj7x02120
    C#mx46654
[Intro]
Emaj7   E   A       Emaj7   E
[Verse 1]
  AShakedown nineteen seventy Emaj7nine,E  
  ACool kids never have the Emaj7time.E  
On a Alive wire right up off the sF#m7treet
You and BI should Emaj7meet.E  
[Verse 2]
  AJunebug skipping like a Emaj7stoneE  
  AWith headlights pointed at the Emaj7dawn.E  
  AWe were sure we'd never see
An F#m7end to it Ball.
[Chorus 1]
And EI don't Emaj7even  Amaj7care to shake these zipper Eblues,
And Emaj7we don't Amaj7know just where our bones will Erest
To Emaj7dust I Amaj7guess
Forgotten and abF#m7sorbed into the Bearth beEmaj7low.E  
A       Emaj7   E
[Verse 3]
  ADouble cross the vacant and the Emaj7bored,E  
  AThey're not sure just what we have in Emaj7store.E  
  AMorphine city slippin' dF#ues down to Asee:
[Chorus 2]
That Ewe don't Emaj7even  Amaj7care as restless as we Eare,
We Emaj7feel the Amaj7pull in the land of a thousand Eguilts.
And Emaj7poured ceAmaj7ment,
Lamented and asBsured.
[Bridge]
To the lights and C#mtowns beAlow,
BFaster than the C#mspeed of Asound,
BFaster than we C#mthought we'd Ago beF#m7neath the Bsound of Emaj7hope.E  
[Verse 4]
  AJustine never knew the Emaj7rules,E  
  AHung down with the freaks and Emaj7ghouls.E  
No aA-pologies ever need be Emaj7made,E  
  AI know you better than you F#m7fake it to Bsee:
[Chorus 3]
That Ewe don't Emaj7even  Amaj7care to shake these zipper Eblues,
And Emaj7we don't Amaj7know just where our bones will Erest
To Emaj7dust I Amaj7guess,
Forgotten and abF#msorbed into the Bearth beEmaj7low.E  
[Outro]
  AThe street heats the urgency of Emaj7now.E  
  AAs you see there's no one aEround.

The story behind the song

"1979" is a nostalgic coming-of-age story written by frontman Billy Corgan, reflecting on his transition into adolescence in the year 1979, when he turned twelve. Released as the second single from their 1995 album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, this song features loops and samples, a sound uncharacteristic of previous Smashing Pumpkins songs. It foreshadows the synth-pop sound the band would later embrace more openly.

AI-written from these sources:1979 (song) — Wikipedia ↗The Smashing Pumpkins — 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

1979

by The Smashing Pumpkins

Lyrics & chords · Original key

The Smashing Pumpkins - 1979

Eb Ab Db Gb Bb

Tuning: eb

[Chords Used]

Emaj7

021100

022100

x02220

F#m7

242252

244322

x24442

Amaj7

x02120

C#m

x46654

[Intro]

Emaj7 E A Emaj7 E

[Verse 1]

A Emaj7 E

Shakedown nineteen seventy nine,

A Emaj7 E

Cool kids never have the time.

A F#m7

On a live wire right up off the street

B Emaj7 E

You and I should meet.

[Verse 2]

A Emaj7 E

Junebug skipping like a stone

A Emaj7 E

With headlights pointed at the dawn.

We were sure we'd never see

F#m7 B

An end to it all.

[Chorus 1]

E Emaj7 Amaj7 E

And I don't even care to shake these zipper blues,

Emaj7 Amaj7 E

And we don't know just where our bones will rest

Emaj7 Amaj7

To dust I guess

F#m7 B Emaj7 E

Forgotten and absorbed into the earth below.

A Emaj7 E

[Verse 3]

A Emaj7 E

Double cross the vacant and the bored,

A Emaj7 E

They're not sure just what we have in store.

A F# A

Morphine city slippin' dues down to see:

[Chorus 2]

E Emaj7 Amaj7 E

That we don't even care as restless as we are,

Emaj7 Amaj7 E

We feel the pull in the land of a thousand guilts.

Emaj7 Amaj7

And poured cement,

Lamented and assured.

[Bridge]

C#m A

To the lights and towns below,

B C#m A

Faster than the speed of sound,

B C#m A F#m7 B Emaj7 E

Faster than we thought we'd go beneath the sound of hope.

[Verse 4]

A Emaj7 E

Justine never knew the rules,

A Emaj7 E

Hung down with the freaks and ghouls.

A Emaj7 E

No a-pologies ever need be made,

A F#m7 B

I know you better than you fake it to see:

[Chorus 3]

E Emaj7 Amaj7 E

That we don't even care to shake these zipper blues,

Emaj7 Amaj7 E

And we don't know just where our bones will rest

Emaj7 Amaj7

To dust I guess,

F#m B Emaj7 E

Forgotten and absorbed into the earth below.

[Outro]

A Emaj7 E

The street heats the urgency of now.

A E

As you see there's no one around.

About 1979 Chords by The Smashing Pumpkins

Learn how to play 1979 by The Smashing Pumpkins with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “1979 chords”, “1979 guitar chords”, or “The Smashing Pumpkins 1979 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 1979 chords and for experienced players who want accurate 1979 lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Bb, Emaj7.

FAQ — 1979 by The Smashing Pumpkins

How do I play "1979" by The Smashing Pumpkins on guitar?

Open the free chords for "1979" by The Smashing Pumpkins 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 "1979" by The Smashing Pumpkins free?

Yes. The chords for "1979" by The Smashing Pumpkins are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "1979" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "1979" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "1979"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "1979" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "1979" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "1979" by The Smashing Pumpkins with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by The Smashing Pumpkins below.

What key is "1979" in?

The chords for "1979" show the original chord names (including Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Bb, Emaj7). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.