Now playing

The Nightfly

Chords

5.021 votes

Listen

YouTubeYouTube SpotifySpotify AppleApple Music

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

THE NIGHTFLY
[Intro]
|       Am9        A/B|              Cmaj9|       Em7         D6|           Fmaj9|
 *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    * 
|                 B7|                 G6|                 C9|       Am7     D9+5|
 *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    * 
                                                                             I'm
[Verse 1]
Gm6/9Lester the   G7Nightfly 
Hel Gmaj7lo Baton G7Rouge                     F/G  
Won't you turn your Am/Erad  Emio down        B7        Am/E                                                 Em/G  
Respect the Cmaj7seven second de B7lay we 
|   B7             Em7| Gsus2               Am7|  Am7       Gmaj7   Gm/C   F   C/E   G                         D7+5|
 *    *    *    *    *     *    *     *     *    *    *                      So you         
 use                                                                         
[Verse 2]
So you Gm6/9say there's a G7race
Of Gmaj7men in the G7treesF/G  
You're for tough legisla Am/Etion                Em  
Thanks for calling             B7     Am                         Em/G  
I wait all Cmaj7night for B7calls like these
|    B7            Em| D7sus4             Cmaj7|   Am7      Gmaj7    Gm/C    F    C/E          G  
 *     *     *     *      *     *     *     *     *     *     
[Chorus]
An Am9inde A/Bpendent Cmaj9station
Em7W    D6J   A   F6/9Z
With B7jazz and conver G6sation
    C9From the A/Bfoot of Mt. Bel Em7zoniEm7/D  
Sweet B9sus4/Emu        Em7sic
To F#7night the night is B7+5+9mine
    E7           E7sus4  A13Late line         Am7         Abm7+5till the Gmaj9sun Cmaj9  
                                               (till the sun comes                                    
Gmaj9through        Cmaj9        Gmaj9the Cmaj13skylightF#/A  
|                C/D|   D/E            G/A|                C/D|       Am7     D9+5|
 *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    * 
                                                                             I've got
[Verse 3]         
I've got Gm6/9plenty of    G7java
And Gmaj7Chesterfield G7Kings                    F/G  
But I feel like Am/EcryinEmg             B7      Am                      G6  
I wish I had a Cmaj7heart    of B7ice          B7    Em7  
Heart like D7sus4iceCmaj7  Am7  Gmaj7  Gm/C  F  C/E  G  D7+5  
If you Gm6/9want your     G9honey
To Gmaj7look super G7swell                             F/G  
You must spring for that Am/ElittlEme blue jar        B7        Am             Em  
Patton's Cmaj7Kiss And B7Tell        B7   Em7  
Kiss And D7sus4TellCmaj7  Am7  Gmaj7  Gm/C  F/A  C/E  G  
      Am9An inde A/Bpendent Cmaj9station
Em7W    D6J   A   F6/9Z
With B7jazz and con ver G6sation
    C9From the A/Bfoot of Mt. Bel Em7zoniEm7/D  
Sweet B9sus4/Emu        Em7sic
To F#7night the night is B7+5+9mine
    E7           E7sus4  A13Late line        Am7          Abm7+5till the Gmaj9sun Cmaj9  
                                               (till the sun comes                                                             
comes Gmaj9through          Cmaj9           Gmaj9the Cmaj9skylightGmaj9  Cmaj9  F#/A  
C/D     Am7     F#7+5-9
     Bmaj9You'd never F#7+5+9believe it
But B13once there was a Emaj13time                              
When D#7love was in my Emaj13lifeEmaj13  Bmaj9  A#7+5+9  D#7+5+9  
     G#m9I sometimes G#9wonder
        D#m7/G#What happened Badd9/F#to that flameAmaj9  
The D#7answer's still the Emaj13same                      
It was G#m7you    D#7you          G#m/B         G#/B       G#/Fit was Emaj13youGmaj7/A  
To D#m7night   F/G#you're   C#m9still  E/F#on   my Eb/Fmi-i-indAm7  D9+5  
|         Gm6/9            G9|     Gmaj7          G7|                 F/G|
| Am/E                 Em    B7| Am      Em/G      Cmaj7|            B7   B7   Em|      
|          D7sus4       Cmaj7|       Am7       Gmaj7| Gm/C    F   C/E    G    D+5|
|         Gm6/9            G9|     Gmaj7          G7|                 F/G|
| Am/E                 Em    B7| Am      Em/G      Cmaj7|            B7   B7   Em|    
|          D7sus4       Cmaj7|        Am7      Gmaj7| Gm/C   F   C/E          G|
      Am9An inde A/Bpendent Cmaj9station
Em7W    D6J   A   F6/9Z
With B7jazz and con ver G6sation
    C9From the A/Bfoot of Mt. Bel Em7zoniEm7/D  
Sweet B9sus4/Emu        Em7sic
To F#7night the night is B7+5+9mine
    E7           E7sus4  A13Late line        Am7          G#m7+5till the Gmaj13sun Cmaj9  
                                               (till the sun comes
comes Gmaj9through         Cmaj9           Gmaj9the Cmaj13skylightGmaj9  Cmaj9  
|    Gmaj9      Cmaj9|    Gmaj9       Cmaj9| F#/A. .( increasing in pitch )

All chords in this song (24)

🎸 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

The Nightfly

by Donald Fagen

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Am9

A/B

Cmaj9

Em7

Fmaj9

Am7

D9+5

Gm6/9

Gmaj7

F/G

Am/E

Em/G

Cmaj7

Gsus2

Gm/C

C/E

THE NIGHTFLY

[Intro]

Am9 A/B Cmaj9 Em7 D6 Fmaj9

| | | | |

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

B7 G6 C9 Am7 D9+5

| | | | |

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I'm

[Verse 1]

Gm6/9 G7

Lester the Nightfly

Gmaj7 G7 F/G

Hel lo Baton Rouge

Am/E Em B7 Am/E Em/G

Won't you turn your rad io down

Cmaj7 B7

Respect the seven second de lay we

B7 Em7 Gsus2 Am7 Am7 Gmaj7 Gm/C F C/E G D7+5

| | | |

* * * * * * * * * * * So you

use

[Verse 2]

Gm6/9 G7

So you say there's a race

Gmaj7 G7 F/G

Of men in the trees

Am/E Em

You're for tough legisla tion

B7 Am Em/G

Thanks for calling

Cmaj7 B7

I wait all night for calls like these

B7 Em D7sus4 Cmaj7 Am7 Gmaj7 Gm/C F C/E G

| | |

* * * * * * * * * *

[Chorus]

Am9 A/B Cmaj9

An inde pendent station

Em7 D6 F6/9

W J A Z

B7 G6

With jazz and conver sation

C9 A/B Em7 Em7/D

From the foot of Mt. Bel zoni

B9sus4/E Em7

Sweet mu sic

F#7 B7+5+9

To night the night is mine

E7 E7sus4 A13 Am7 Abm7+5 Gmaj9 Cmaj9

Late line till the sun

(till the sun comes

Gmaj9 Cmaj9 Gmaj9 Cmaj13 F#/A

through the skylight

C/D D/E G/A C/D Am7 D9+5

| | | | |

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I've got

[Verse 3]

Gm6/9 G7

I've got plenty of java

Gmaj7 G7 F/G

And Chesterfield Kings

Am/E Em B7 Am G6

But I feel like crying

Cmaj7 B7 B7 Em7

I wish I had a heart of ice

D7sus4 Cmaj7 Am7 Gmaj7 Gm/C F C/E G D7+5

Heart like ice

Gm6/9 G9

If you want your honey

Gmaj7 G7 F/G

To look super swell

Am/E Em B7 Am Em

You must spring for that little blue jar

Cmaj7 B7 B7 Em7

Patton's Kiss And Tell

D7sus4 Cmaj7 Am7 Gmaj7 Gm/C F/A C/E G

Kiss And Tell

Am9 A/B Cmaj9

An inde pendent station

Em7 D6 F6/9

W J A Z

B7 G6

With jazz and con ver sation

C9 A/B Em7 Em7/D

From the foot of Mt. Bel zoni

B9sus4/E Em7

Sweet mu sic

F#7 B7+5+9

To night the night is mine

E7 E7sus4 A13 Am7 Abm7+5 Gmaj9 Cmaj9

Late line till the sun

(till the sun comes

Gmaj9 Cmaj9 Gmaj9 Cmaj9 Gmaj9 Cmaj9 F#/A

comes through the skylight

C/D Am7 F#7+5-9

Bmaj9 F#7+5+9

You'd never believe it

B13 Emaj13

But once there was a time

D#7 Emaj13 Emaj13 Bmaj9 A#7+5+9 D#7+5+9

When love was in my life

G#m9 G#9

I sometimes wonder

D#m7/G# Badd9/F# Amaj9

What happened to that flame

D#7 Emaj13

The answer's still the same

G#m7 D#7 G#m/B G#/B G#/F Emaj13 Gmaj7/A

It was you you it was you

D#m7 F/G# C#m9 E/F# Eb/F Am7 D9+5

To night you're still on my mi-i-ind

Gm6/9 G9 Gmaj7 G7 F/G

| | | |

Am/E Em B7 Am Em/G Cmaj7 B7 B7 Em

| | | |

D7sus4 Cmaj7 Am7 Gmaj7 Gm/C F C/E G D+5

| | | |

Gm6/9 G9 Gmaj7 G7 F/G

| | | |

Am/E Em B7 Am Em/G Cmaj7 B7 B7 Em

| | | |

D7sus4 Cmaj7 Am7 Gmaj7 Gm/C F C/E G

| | | |

Am9 A/B Cmaj9

An inde pendent station

Em7 D6 F6/9

W J A Z

B7 G6

With jazz and con ver sation

C9 A/B Em7 Em7/D

From the foot of Mt. Bel zoni

B9sus4/E Em7

Sweet mu sic

F#7 B7+5+9

To night the night is mine

E7 E7sus4 A13 Am7 G#m7+5 Gmaj13 Cmaj9

Late line till the sun

(till the sun comes

Gmaj9 Cmaj9 Gmaj9 Cmaj13 Gmaj9 Cmaj9

comes through the skylight

Gmaj9 Cmaj9 Gmaj9 Cmaj9 F#/A

| | | . .( increasing in pitch )

About The Nightfly Chords by Donald Fagen

Learn how to play The Nightfly by Donald Fagen with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “The Nightfly chords”, “The Nightfly guitar chords”, or “Donald Fagen The Nightfly 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 The Nightfly chords and for experienced players who want accurate The Nightfly lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Am9, A/B, Cmaj9, Em7, D6, Fmaj9.

FAQ — The Nightfly by Donald Fagen

How do I play "The Nightfly" by Donald Fagen on guitar?

Open the free chords for "The Nightfly" by Donald Fagen 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 "The Nightfly" by Donald Fagen free?

Yes. The chords for "The Nightfly" by Donald Fagen are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "The Nightfly" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "The Nightfly"?

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

Is "The Nightfly" easy to play on guitar?

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

What key is "The Nightfly" in?

The chords for "The Nightfly" show the original chord names (including Am9, A/B, Cmaj9, Em7, D6, Fmaj9). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.