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Overkill
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Step 1 / 118Position: 5
1 index2 middle3 ring4 pinkyO open
Colin Hay - Overkill (Acoustic in D)
For the transition from F# to F#7 in the chorus
all you have to do is lift your pinky.
[Chord Chart]
e|---Dx-----A/C#-x-------Cx-----G/B-x------Bm2------Asus4-0-------A0-------F#2-----F#7-2------G3---|
B|---x------x-------x------x------3-------3-------2-------2------2------3---|
G|---x------x-------x------x------4-------2-------2-------3------3------4---|
D|---7------7-------5------5------4-------2-------2-------4------2------5---|
A|---5------4-------3------2------2-------0-------0-------4------4------5---|
E|---x------x-------x------x------x-------x-------x-------2------2------3---|
[Verse]
DI can't get to A/C#sleep
CI think about the imG/Bplications
DOf diving in toA/C#o deep
CAnd possibly thG/Be complications
DEspecially at A/C#night
CI worry over G/Bsituations
DI know will be alA/C#right
CPerhaps its just my G/Bimagination
[Chorus]
BmDay after day it reaAsus4ppearsA
BmNight after night my heartbeat Asus4shows the Afear
F#sus4Ghosts apF#7pear and fade aGway
Asus4 A
[Verse]
DAlone between the A/C#sheets
COnly brings exaG/Bsperation
DIt's time to walk the A/C#streets
CSmell the, ..G/B. desperation
DAt least there's pretty A/C#lights
CAnd though there's littlG/Be variation
DIt nullifies the A/C#night
Cfrom overG/Bkill
[Chorus]
BmDay after day it reAsus4appearAs
BmNight after night my heartbeat Asus4shows the Afear
F#sus4Ghosts apF#7pear and fade aGway
Asus4Come back another Aday
e|--D----------------------|--F#m--------------------|--C-----------------------|
B|--3-----------3/5---3---|--2---------------0---|--0h1----------1/3---1---|
G|------------------------|--------------2-------|-------------------------|
D|------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
A|------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
E|------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
e|--Em---------------------|--D------------------------|--F#m-----------------------|
B|--0--------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|
G|--------------2--0-----|--------------------------|-------------------------|
D|--------------------4--|---------4--5p-4----------|--2p-0----0--0-----------|
A|-----------------------|-----------------5--2--5--|-------2--------2--------|
E|-----------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|
e|--C---------------------------|--Em------------------------|
B|-------------3/5---3---------|------------5\--3---------|
G|-----2/-4----2/4---2---------|-----2/--4----------------|
D|-----2/-4--------------------|--------------------------|
A|-----------------------------|--------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|--------------------------|
e|--D---------------------|--F#m-----------------------|--C------------------------|
B|--2----3---------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
G|----------2------4-----|-------------------------|--------------------------|
D|--------------------2--|-------4-----------------|-----------------0--------|
A|-----------------------|-----------2p0-----------|-----0-----2--3--------3--|
E|-----------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
e|--Em---------------------|--D------------------------|--F#m------------------2--3-|
B|-----------------------|--------------------------|-----------2--3--5-------|
G|-----------------------|--------------------------|--0--2--4----------------|
D|-----------------------|-----------------0--2--4--|-------------------------|
A|--2-----------0--------|--------0--2--4-----------|-------------------------|
E|-----------------3--2--|-----3--------------------|-------------------------|
e|--C5--7--9--10--12--10--12--12/14--|--Em----14--12p10-----10--10--------|
B|----------------------------------|----------------12----------12~~~-|
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
e|--Bm-------9/10--10----9---7--|--Bm5----------------|--Asus4---------------------|
B|--------11/12--12---10---8--|--7----------------|--3------3-------3--2--|
G|----------------------------|-------------------|--2-----------2--------|
D|----------------------------|-------------------|-----------------------|
A|----------------------------|-------------------|-----------------------|
E|----------------------------|-------------------|-----------------------|
e|--A-----------------|--Bsus2---------------------|--F#---------------------|
B|-------------------|---------0-------0-----|--------------------2--|
G|-------------------|--4-----------------3--|------------3---4------|
D|-------------------|--2-----------2--------|-----------------------|
A|-------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
E|-------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
e|--G----------------------|--G----------------------||
B|----2h-3----------------|------------------------||
G|------------------------|------------------------||
D|------------------------|------------------------||
A|------------------------|------------------------||
E|------------------------|------------------------||
[Verse]
DI can't get to A/C#sleep
CI think about the G/Bimplications
DOf diving in too A/C#deep
CAnd possibly the G/Bcomplications
DEspecially at A/C#night
CI worry over G/Bsituations tha-at...
DI know will be aA/C#lright
CIt's just oveG/Brkill
[Chorus]
BmDay after day it reAsus4appearsA
BmNight after night my heartbeat Asus4shows the Afear
F#sus4Ghosts apF#7pear and fade Gaway
F#sus4Ghosts apF#7pear and fade Gaway
F#sus4Ghosts apF#7pear and fade Gaway
All chords in this song (14)
The story behind the song
"Overkill" captures the unsettling feeling of stepping into the unknown, leaving behind a familiar comfort zone. Written by Colin Hay, the song explores the anxiety that can accompany achieving a long-sought goal, like fame or recognition. It's about the loss of control that comes when a situation becomes bigger than just yourself, leading to sleepless nights worrying over situations. Released in 1983 on Men at Work's album Cargo, the song resonates with the universal experience of facing significant life changes.
Story time
Overkill
Overkill
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Overkill
by Colin Hay
Chords in this song · guitar
D
A/C#
C
G/B
Bm
Asus4
A
F#
F#7
G
F#sus4
F#m
Em
Bsus2
Colin Hay - Overkill (Acoustic in D)
For the transition from F# to F#7 in the chorus
all you have to do is lift your pinky.
[Chord Chart]
D A/C# C G/B Bm Asus4 A F# F#7 G
e|---x------x-------x------x------2-------0-------0-------2------2------3---|
B|---x------x-------x------x------3-------3-------2-------2------2------3---|
G|---x------x-------x------x------4-------2-------2-------3------3------4---|
D|---7------7-------5------5------4-------2-------2-------4------2------5---|
A|---5------4-------3------2------2-------0-------0-------4------4------5---|
E|---x------x-------x------x------x-------x-------x-------2------2------3---|
[Verse]
D A/C#
I can't get to sleep
C G/B
I think about the implications
D A/C#
Of diving in too deep
C G/B
And possibly the complications
D A/C#
Especially at night
C G/B
I worry over situations
D A/C#
I know will be alright
C G/B
Perhaps its just my imagination
[Chorus]
Bm Asus4 A
Day after day it reappears
Bm Asus4 A
Night after night my heartbeat shows the fear
F#sus4 F#7 G
Ghosts appear and fade away
Asus4 A
[Verse]
D A/C#
Alone between the sheets
C G/B
Only brings exasperation
D A/C#
It's time to walk the streets
C G/B
Smell the, ... desperation
D A/C#
At least there's pretty lights
C G/B
And though there's little variation
D A/C#
It nullifies the night
C G/B
from overkill
[Chorus]
Bm Asus4 A
Day after day it reappears
Bm Asus4 A
Night after night my heartbeat shows the fear
F#sus4 F#7 G
Ghosts appear and fade away
Asus4 A
Come back another day
D F#m C
e|------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
B|--3-----------3/5---3---|--2---------------0---|--0h1----------1/3---1---|
G|------------------------|--------------2-------|-------------------------|
D|------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
A|------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
E|------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
Em D F#m
e|-----------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|
B|--0--------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|
G|--------------2--0-----|--------------------------|-------------------------|
D|--------------------4--|---------4--5p-4----------|--2p-0----0--0-----------|
A|-----------------------|-----------------5--2--5--|-------2--------2--------|
E|-----------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|
C Em
e|-----------------------------|--------------------------|
B|-------------3/5---3---------|------------5\--3---------|
G|-----2/-4----2/4---2---------|-----2/--4----------------|
D|-----2/-4--------------------|--------------------------|
A|-----------------------------|--------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|--------------------------|
D F#m C
e|-----------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
B|--2----3---------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
G|----------2------4-----|-------------------------|--------------------------|
D|--------------------2--|-------4-----------------|-----------------0--------|
A|-----------------------|-----------2p0-----------|-----0-----2--3--------3--|
E|-----------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
Em D F#m
e|-----------------------|--------------------------|--------------------2--3-|
B|-----------------------|--------------------------|-----------2--3--5-------|
G|-----------------------|--------------------------|--0--2--4----------------|
D|-----------------------|-----------------0--2--4--|-------------------------|
A|--2-----------0--------|--------0--2--4-----------|-------------------------|
E|-----------------3--2--|-----3--------------------|-------------------------|
C Em
e|--5--7--9--10--12--10--12--12/14--|------14--12p10-----10--10--------|
B|----------------------------------|----------------12----------12~~~-|
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
Bm Bm Asus4
e|---------9/10--10----9---7--|--5----------------|-----------------------|
B|--------11/12--12---10---8--|--7----------------|--3------3-------3--2--|
G|----------------------------|-------------------|--2-----------2--------|
D|----------------------------|-------------------|-----------------------|
A|----------------------------|-------------------|-----------------------|
E|----------------------------|-------------------|-----------------------|
A Bsus2 F#
e|-------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
B|-------------------|---------0-------0-----|--------------------2--|
G|-------------------|--4-----------------3--|------------3---4------|
D|-------------------|--2-----------2--------|-----------------------|
A|-------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
E|-------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
G G
e|------------------------|------------------------||
B|----2h-3----------------|------------------------||
G|------------------------|------------------------||
D|------------------------|------------------------||
A|------------------------|------------------------||
E|------------------------|------------------------||
[Verse]
D A/C#
I can't get to sleep
C G/B
I think about the implications
D A/C#
Of diving in too deep
C G/B
And possibly the complications
D A/C#
Especially at night
C G/B
I worry over situations tha-at...
D A/C#
I know will be alright
C G/B
It's just overkill
[Chorus]
Bm Asus4 A
Day after day it reappears
Bm Asus4 A
Night after night my heartbeat shows the fear
F#sus4 F#7 G
Ghosts appear and fade away
F#sus4 F#7 G
Ghosts appear and fade away
F#sus4 F#7 G
Ghosts appear and fade away
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About Overkill Chords by Colin Hay
Learn how to play Overkill by Colin Hay with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Overkill chords”, “Overkill guitar chords”, or “Colin Hay Overkill 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 Overkill chords and for experienced players who want accurate Overkill lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include D, F, F#7, A/C#, C, G/B.
FAQ — Overkill by Colin Hay
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What key is "Overkill" in?
The chords for "Overkill" show the original chord names (including D, F, F#7, A/C#, C, G/B). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.