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The Day Before You Came

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* = 2/4 measure
Otherwise in 4/4.
% = repeat chord
ORDER: I V1 C1 V2 C2 INT V3 C3 FC O
[INTRO]
| Cm| % | % | % |
[VERSE 1]
| Cm| Ab6* | G|
Must have left my house at eight, because I always do
% | G| * | Cm|
My train, I'm certain, left the station just when it was due
% | Cm| * | Bb|
I must have read the morning paper going into town
% | Bb| Bb7/D| Eb| % |
And having gotten through the editorial, no doubt I must have frowned
[CHORUS 1]
| Eb| | Bb|
I must have made my desk around a quarter after nine
% | Bb7| | Eb|
With letters to be read, and heaps of papers waiting to be signed
| Eb   Eb/G| Ab| Eb/G  
I must have gone to lunch at half past twelve or so
| Fm|
The usual place, the usual bunch
% | Fm| Dm7-5* | G|
And still on top of this I'm pretty sure it must have rained
| % | Cm| % |
The day before you came
[VERSE 2]
| Cm| * | G|
I must have lit my seventh cigarette at half past two
% | G7| * G7/B| Cm|
And at the time I never even noticed I was blue
% | Cm| Cm* Cm/D| Bb|
I must have kept on dragging through the business of the day
% | Bb| Bb7   Bb/D| Eb| % |
Without really knowing anything, I hid a part of me away
[CHORUS 2]
| Eb| | Bb|
At five I must have left, there's no exception to the rule
% | Bb7| | Eb|
A matter of routine, I've done it ever since I finished school
| % | Ab  
The train back home again,
| Eb/G| Fm| Fmadd9   Fm|
undoubtedly I must have read the evening paper then
| Fm| Dm7-5* | G|
Oh yes, I'm sure my life was well within its usual frame
| % | Cm  
The day before you came
[INTERLUDE]
( Cm) | % | Bdim7| % |
Bdim7/Ab| G7| Cm| % |
F#dim7/A| % | Cm/G| % |
G7sus4| G7|
| Cm| % |
[VERSE 3]
| Cm| Ab6* | G|
I must have opened my front door at eight o'clock or so
% | G7| * G7/B| Cm|
And stopped along the way to buy some Chinese food to go
% | Cm| * | Bb|
I'm sure I had my dinner watching something on TV
% | Bb| Bb7| Eb| % |
There's not, I think, a single episode of Dallas that I didn't see
[CHORUS 3]
| Eb| | Bb7|
I must have gone to bed around a quarter after ten
% | Bb7| Bb7/D| Eb|
I need a lot of sleep, and so I like to be in bed by then
| % | Ab  
I must have read a while
| Eb/G| Fm| Fmadd9   Fm|
The latest one by Marilyn French or something in that style
| Fm| Dm7-5* | G7|
It's funny, but I had no sense of liv - ing without aim
| % | Cm| Cmadd9  Cm  
The day before you came
[FINAL CHORUS]
| Ab  
And turning out the light
| Eb/G| Fm| Fmadd9   Fm|
I must have yawned and cuddled up for yet another night
| Fm| Dm7-5* | G7|
And rattling on the roof I must have heard the sound of rain
| % | Cm  
The day before you came
[OUTRO]
( Cm) | % | Bdim7| % |
Bdim7/Ab| G7| Cm| % |
F#dim7/A| % | Cm/G| % |
G7sus4| G7|
Cm| % | Bdim7| % |
Bdim7/Ab| G7| Cm| % |
F#dim7/A| % | Cm/G| % |
G7sus4| G7|
| Cm| Ab/C| Cm| Ab/C| (fade)
All chords in this song (23)

The story behind the song

"The Day Before You Came" is a dark and sorrowful song, often described as a swan song for ABBA, featuring Agnetha Fältskog alone on lead vocals. Its sound is heavily influenced by the sequencer-driven synths popular at the time, creating a darkly ethereal atmosphere. The group itself was known for its introspective lyrics in later years, reflecting the personal lives of its members. Playing this song channels a profound sense of quiet melancholy and reflection.

AI-written from these sources:The Day Before You Came — Wikipedia ↗ABBA — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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About The Day Before You Came Chords by ABBA

Learn how to play The Day Before You Came by ABBA with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “The Day Before You Came chords”, “The Day Before You Came guitar chords”, or “ABBA The Day Before You Came 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 Day Before You Came chords and for experienced players who want accurate The Day Before You Came lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Cm, Ab6, G, Bb, Bb7/D, Eb.

FAQ — The Day Before You Came by ABBA

How do I play "The Day Before You Came" by ABBA on guitar?

Open the free chords for "The Day Before You Came" by ABBA 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 Day Before You Came" by ABBA free?

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Can I transpose "The Day Before You Came" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "The Day Before You Came"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "The Day Before You Came" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "The Day Before You Came" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "The Day Before You Came" by ABBA with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by ABBA below.

What key is "The Day Before You Came" in?

The chords for "The Day Before You Came" show the original chord names (including Cm, Ab6, G, Bb, Bb7/D, Eb). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.