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Speed Of Sound

Chords

4.91,019 votes

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Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

Begin the strumming pattern with a pickup phrase, basically play beats 3 & 4 above,
then continue with whole pattern.
[Intro]
A Em Em D
A Em Em D
[Verse 1]
How Along before I get Emin,
before it Emstarts, before I beDgin?
How Along before you deEmcide,
before I Emknow what it feels lDike?
Where Ato, where do I gEmo?
If you never Emtry then you'll never knDow
How Along do I have to clEmimb
up on the Emside of this mountain of mDine?
[Interlude]
A Em Em D
A Em Em D
[Verse 2]
Look Aup, I look up at nEmight
Planets are Emmoving at the speed of liDght 
Climb Aup, up in the trEmees 
Every chance that you Emget is a chance you sDeize
How Along am I gonna sEmtand
with my Emhead stuck under the Dsand?
I'll Astart before I can stEmop
or before I Emsee things the right way uDp
[Pre-Chorus]
   GAll that nAoise, and all that sBmound
   GAll those plAaces I got fBmound
[Chorus]
And Gbirds go flying at the Bmspeed of sound
to Dshow you how it all beGgan
GBirds came flying from the Bmunderground
If you could F#msee it then you'd understGand
[Interlude]
A Em Em D
A Em Em D
[Verse 3]
IAdeas that you'll never fEmind
All the inEmventors could never desDign
The bAuildings that you put uEmp
Japan and EmChina all lit uDp
A Asign that I couldn't rEmead
Or a Emlight that I couldn't sDee
Some Athings you have to belEmieve
but others are Empuzzles, puzzling mDe
[Pre-Chorus]
   GAll that nAoise, and all that sBmound
   GAll those plAaces I got fBmound
[Chorus]
And Gbirds go flying at the Bmspeed of sound
to Dshow you how it all beGgan
GBirds came flying from the Bmunderground
If you could F#msee it then you'd understGand
Oh, when you F#msee it then you'll understGand
[Post-Chorus]
D
[Bridge]
  GAll those sAigns, I knew what they Bmmeant
Some things you Ecan invent
  GSome get mAade, and some get sBment
Ooh-Eooh
[Chorus]
And Gbirds go flying at the Bmspeed of sound
to Dshow you how it all beGgan
GBirds came flying from the Bmunderground
If you could F#msee it then you'd understGand
                                   F#m   G   Gadd#11   G   G6   Gmaj7*
Oh, when you see it then you'll understand
* ascending melody of B C# D E F# is played

All chords in this song (10)

The story behind the song

"Speed of Sound" was inspired by a sense of awe and wonder, particularly by Chris Martin's experience with his daughter and the music of Kate Bush. The band aimed for a song with prominent tom-toms, drawing inspiration from Bush's "Running Up That Hill." The lyrics touch on themes of belief and understanding, with lines like "If you could see it then you'd understand" and reflections on finding one's place in the world. It plays like an exploration of profound moments and the search for meaning.

AI-written from these sources:Speed of Sound (song) — Wikipedia ↗Coldplay — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

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Chord Book

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

Speed Of Sound

by Coldplay

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

F#m

Gadd#11

Gmaj7

Begin the strumming pattern with a pickup phrase, basically play beats 3 & 4 above,

then continue with whole pattern.

[Intro]

A Em Em D

[Verse 1]

A Em

How long before I get in,

Em D

before it starts, before I begin?

A Em

How long before you decide,

Em D

before I know what it feels like?

A Em

Where to, where do I go?

Em D

If you never try then you'll never know

A Em

How long do I have to climb

Em D

up on the side of this mountain of mine?

[Interlude]

A Em Em D

[Verse 2]

A Em

Look up, I look up at night

Em D

Planets are moving at the speed of light

A Em

Climb up, up in the trees

Em D

Every chance that you get is a chance you seize

A Em

How long am I gonna stand

Em D

with my head stuck under the sand?

A Em

I'll start before I can stop

Em D

or before I see things the right way up

[Pre-Chorus]

G A Bm

All that noise, and all that sound

G A Bm

All those places I got found

[Chorus]

G Bm

And birds go flying at the speed of sound

D G

to show you how it all began

G Bm

Birds came flying from the underground

F#m G

If you could see it then you'd understand

[Interlude]

A Em Em D

[Verse 3]

A Em

Ideas that you'll never find

Em D

All the inventors could never design

A Em

The buildings that you put up

Em D

Japan and China all lit up

A Em

A sign that I couldn't read

Em D

Or a light that I couldn't see

A Em

Some things you have to believe

Em D

but others are puzzles, puzzling me

[Pre-Chorus]

G A Bm

All that noise, and all that sound

G A Bm

All those places I got found

[Chorus]

G Bm

And birds go flying at the speed of sound

D G

to show you how it all began

G Bm

Birds came flying from the underground

F#m G

If you could see it then you'd understand

F#m G

Oh, when you see it then you'll understand

[Post-Chorus]

[Bridge]

G A Bm

All those signs, I knew what they meant

Some things you can invent

G A Bm

Some get made, and some get sent

Ooh-ooh

[Chorus]

G Bm

And birds go flying at the speed of sound

D G

to show you how it all began

G Bm

Birds came flying from the underground

F#m G

If you could see it then you'd understand

F#m G Gadd#11 G G6 Gmaj7

Oh, when you see it then you'll understand

* ascending melody of B C# D E F# is played

About Speed Of Sound Chords by Coldplay

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

FAQ — Speed Of Sound by Coldplay

How do I play "Speed Of Sound" by Coldplay on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Speed Of Sound" by Coldplay 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 "Speed Of Sound" by Coldplay free?

Yes. The chords for "Speed Of Sound" by Coldplay are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Speed Of Sound" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Speed Of Sound"?

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

Is "Speed Of Sound" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Speed Of Sound" by Coldplay with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Coldplay below.

What key is "Speed Of Sound" in?

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