Starman Chords

by David Bowie
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This version uses a capo making it somewhat easier to play.Was this info helpful?
Difficulty: advanced
Tuning: E A D G B E
Capo: 3rd fret
Author Pencom [a] 30,935.
2 contributors total, last edit on Feb 23, 2025
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Chords

G
D
Em
A
F
A7
F#
E
Bm
F#m
Gm
B7
B
Ab
C#m
Abm
C#7
Am
C
Dm
Eb
G7
Fm

Strumming

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Starman chords
David Bowie  1972 as single  (The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars)
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starman_(song)
 
Capo III *
 
G D
 
Goodbye love
 
G D
 
Goodbye love
 
Em
 Didn't know what time it was
 
The lights were low
D
 I leaned back on my radio
A
 Some cat was layin' down
 
Some rock 'n' roll 'lotta soul
        D F G
He said  
 
Em
 Then the loud sound did seem to fade
D
 Came back like a slow voice on a wave of phase
A                            A7   A          F# E
 That weren't no DJ that was hazy cosmic jive
 
E         D       Bm
There's a starman waiting in the sky
     F#m              A
He'd like to come and meet us
       A7                   A
But he thinks he'd blow our minds
 
A         D       Bm
There's a starman waiting in the sky
     F#m            A
He's told us not to blow it
          A7                  A
'Cause he knows it's all worthwhile
             G                Gm      D
He told me, "Let the children lose it
        B7              Em
Let the children use it
            A7       A
Let all the children boogie"
 
G D A D G D A 2x
 
Em
 I had to phone someone so I picked on you
D
 Hey, that's far out so you heard him too
A                                                   D F G
 Switch on the TV we may pick him up on Channel Two
 
Em
 Look out your window I can see his light
D
 If we can sparkle he may land tonight
A                               A7                  A     F# E
 Don't tell your poppa or he'll get us locked up in fright
 
E         D       Bm
There's a starman waiting in the sky
     F#m              A
He'd like to come and meet us
       A7                   A
But he thinks he'd blow our minds
 
A         D       Bm
There's a starman waiting in the sky
     F#m            A
He's told us not to blow it
          A7                  A
'Cause he knows it's all worthwhile
             G                Gm      D
He told me, "Let the children lose it
        B7              Em
Let the children use it
            A7       A
Let all the children boogie"
 
E         D       Bm
There's a starman waiting in the sky
     F#m              A
He'd like to come and meet us
       A7                   A
But he thinks he'd blow our minds
 
A         D       Bm
There's a starman waiting in the sky
     F#m            A
He's told us not to blow it
          A7                  A
'Cause he knows it's all worthwhile
             G                Gm      D
He told me, "Let the children lose it
        B7              Em
Let the children use it
            A7       A
Let all the children boogie"
 
G D A D
 
G             D
La, la, la la la 
           A           D
La, la, la la la la la la . . . .
 
* Alternates:
 
Capo I
 
G   = A
D   = E
Em  = F#m
F   = G
A   = B
A7  = B7
F#  = Ab
Bm  = C#m
F#m = Abm
B7  = C#7
Gm  = Am
 
Capo V
 
G   = F
D   = C
Em  = Dm
F   = Eb
A   = G
A7  = G7
F#  = E
Bm  = Am
F#m = Em
B7  = A7
Gm  = Fm
 
Set8
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4 comments
DiddyD
Nice work, Tom, this is certainly an easier way to play it if you don't like many barre chords, which I try to avoid too if I can. Also those high vocal notes on ..'let the children use it...' are much more achievable when you have the option to drop the capo down or off completely. In this key it's a bit harder to get that discordant sound in the intro though. The chords would be Gadd#11 to Dmaj7. The first one is a little tricky Gadd#11 (320023), you could play a normal G major but using your little finger on the 1st string, middle finger on the 5th, and ring finger on the 6th string, this leaves your index finger to add that C# on the 2nd string. Alternatively don't play the full chord and simplify it by only playing the top 4, or bottom 4, strings and only playing partial chord shapes. Even if you still feel more comfortable with a straight G major, using a Dmaj7 rather than a D major would still sound better. The mumbled lyrics in the intro I think are : 'Hey, now, now! Huh, huh, huh!' after watching this video clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B5zmDz4vR4 particularly the second bit, he's barely moving his lips to form any words and mostly making the sound in the back of his throat. Another subtle suggestion for the stacatto breaks is an F# (244322) to Eadd9 (022102) it keeps that high F# note going through the chord change. In the repeating coda, there's an extra little turnaround chord sequence missing. After what you have, there are 3 more 'La's' to link back to the G, with a chord on each, that go D (xx0232)- Em7 (022030) - D/F#bass (20023x) That sequence also appears in the break after the first chorus.
+5
JetLennit
I found Vers 2 to be far more accurate. My first problem was the D chord and I kept having problems after that.
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