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Paper Bag

Chords

4.8925 votes

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Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

Chords used:
E:     022100
C:     032010
G:     320003
B7:    224242
F7:    131211
Em:    022000
A7:    002020
Cmaj7: 032000
Em7:   022030 
[Verse]
I was sEtaring at the Csky, just Glooking for a B7star
To pEray on, or Cwish on, or soGmething like thB7at
I was Ehaving a sweet fiCx of a Gdaydream of a B7boy
Whose reF7ality I knew, was a Emhopeless to be A7had
But then the Edove of Chope began its Gdownward sB7lope
And I beElieved for a moment that Cmy chances
Were Gapproaching to be B7grabbed
But as it Ecame down Cnear, so did a Gweary F7tear
I Emthought it was a A7bird, but it was jF7ust a paper bag
[Chorus]
Hunger Ghurts, and I Cmaj7want him sF7o bad, oh it Gkills
'Cause I knGow I'm a Cmaj7mess he don't F7wanna clean up
I got to Gfold 'cause these Cmaj7hands are too F7shaky to Ghold
Hunger Em7hurts, but starving A7works, when it F7costs too much to GloveB7  
[Verse 2]
EAnd I went Ccrazy aGgain today,
B7Looking for a Estrand to climb, Clooking for a Glittle hopeB7  E  
CBaby said he Gcouldn't stay, B7wouldn't put his F7lips to mine
And a Emfail to kiss is a A7fail to cope
I said, 'EHoney, I don't Cfeel so goGod, don't feel juB7stified
ECome on put a Clittle love Ghere in my vB7oid,' 
He said?'It's Eall in your heCad,' 
and I said, 'So's Geverything,' but he didn'F7t get it 
I Emthought he was a A7man
But he was F7just a little boy
[Chorus]
Hunger Ghurts, and I Cmaj7want him sF7o bad, oh it Gkills
'Cause I knGow I'm a Cmaj7mess he don't F7wanna clean up
I got to Gfold 'cause these Cmaj7hands are too F7shaky to Ghold
Hunger Em7hurts, but starving A7works, when it F7costs too much to Glove
Hunger Cmaj7hurts, but I want him so F7bad, oh it kiGlls
'Cause I knGow I'm a Cmaj7mess he don't F7wanna clean up
I got to Gfold 'cause these Cmaj7hands are too F7shaky to Ghold
Hunger Em7hurts, but starving A7works, when, when it F7costs too much to Glove
Oh, hunger Cmaj7hurts, and I want him so F7bad, oh it kiGlls
Because I Gknow I'm a Cmaj7mess that he don't F7wanna clean up
I got to Gfold 'cause these Cmaj7hands are just too F7shaky to Ghold
Hunger Em7hurts, but starving, A7it works, F7when it costs too much to Glove
[Outro]
G   Cmaj7 F7 G
G   Cmaj7 F7 F7
G   Cmaj7 F7 G
Em7 A7    F7 F7
F7  F7    G

All chords in this song (9)

The story behind the song

"Paper Bag" delves into the complex experience of minimizing different kinds of pain, reflecting a feminine perspective that resonated with many. The lyrics are drawn from the artist's personal journals, often exploring themes related to trauma and mental health struggles, including disordered eating. The song was inspired by an experience where she mistook a plastic bag for a dove while upset in a car with her father. Its cabaret-inspired sound, with baroque elements, provides a unique backdrop to these deeply personal themes. At its heart, the song plays like a poignant exploration of inner turmoil and coping mechanisms.

AI-written from these sources:Paper Bag (song) — Wikipedia ↗Fiona Apple — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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Chord Book

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

Paper Bag

by Fiona Apple

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Cmaj7

Em7

Chords used:

E: 022100

C: 032010

G: 320003

B7: 224242

F7: 131211

Em: 022000

A7: 002020

Cmaj7: 032000

Em7: 022030

[Verse]

E C G B7

I was staring at the sky, just looking for a star

E C G B7

To pray on, or wish on, or something like that

E C G B7

I was having a sweet fix of a daydream of a boy

F7 Em A7

Whose reality I knew, was a hopeless to be had

E C G B7

But then the dove of hope began its downward slope

E C

And I believed for a moment that my chances

G B7

Were approaching to be grabbed

E C G F7

But as it came down near, so did a weary tear

Em A7 F7

I thought it was a bird, but it was just a paper bag

[Chorus]

G Cmaj7 F7 G

Hunger hurts, and I want him so bad, oh it kills

G Cmaj7 F7

'Cause I know I'm a mess he don't wanna clean up

G Cmaj7 F7 G

I got to fold 'cause these hands are too shaky to hold

Em7 A7 F7 G B7

Hunger hurts, but starving works, when it costs too much to love

[Verse 2]

E C G

And I went crazy again today,

B7 E C G B7 E

Looking for a strand to climb, looking for a little hope

C G B7 F7

Baby said he couldn't stay, wouldn't put his lips to mine

Em A7

And a fail to kiss is a fail to cope

E C G B7

I said, 'Honey, I don't feel so good, don't feel justified

E C G B7

Come on put a little love here in my void,'

E C

He said?'It's all in your head,'

G F7

and I said, 'So's everything,' but he didn't get it

Em A7

I thought he was a man

But he was just a little boy

[Chorus]

G Cmaj7 F7 G

Hunger hurts, and I want him so bad, oh it kills

G Cmaj7 F7

'Cause I know I'm a mess he don't wanna clean up

G Cmaj7 F7 G

I got to fold 'cause these hands are too shaky to hold

Em7 A7 F7 G

Hunger hurts, but starving works, when it costs too much to love

Cmaj7 F7 G

Hunger hurts, but I want him so bad, oh it kills

G Cmaj7 F7

'Cause I know I'm a mess he don't wanna clean up

G Cmaj7 F7 G

I got to fold 'cause these hands are too shaky to hold

Em7 A7 F7 G

Hunger hurts, but starving works, when, when it costs too much to love

Cmaj7 F7 G

Oh, hunger hurts, and I want him so bad, oh it kills

G Cmaj7 F7

Because I know I'm a mess that he don't wanna clean up

G Cmaj7 F7 G

I got to fold 'cause these hands are just too shaky to hold

Em7 A7 F7 G

Hunger hurts, but starving, it works, when it costs too much to love

[Outro]

G Cmaj7 F7 G

G Cmaj7 F7 F7

G Cmaj7 F7 G

Em7 A7 F7 F7

F7 F7 G

About Paper Bag Chords by Fiona Apple

Learn how to play Paper Bag by Fiona Apple with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Paper Bag chords”, “Paper Bag guitar chords”, or “Fiona Apple Paper Bag 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 Paper Bag chords and for experienced players who want accurate Paper Bag lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include E, C, G, B7, F7, Em.

FAQ — Paper Bag by Fiona Apple

How do I play "Paper Bag" by Fiona Apple on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Paper Bag" by Fiona Apple 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 "Paper Bag" by Fiona Apple free?

Yes. The chords for "Paper Bag" by Fiona Apple are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Paper Bag" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Paper Bag"?

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

Is "Paper Bag" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Paper Bag" by Fiona Apple with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Fiona Apple below.

What key is "Paper Bag" in?

The chords for "Paper Bag" show the original chord names (including E, C, G, B7, F7, Em). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.