When I Was A Boy Chords

Song: When I was a boy
Artist: Jeff Lynne's ELO
Composer: Jeff Lynne
Album: Alone in the universe
 
Tabbed by DJ 28th Sept 2015
 
In the intro, the alternating C to G bass note on the
C chord is played on piano rather than guitar, and it
also appears at the end of the verses and choruses.
If you do want to add this just use the (C/G) shape
and alternately emphasise the 5th, and then the
6th string bass note.
For the G, F and A7/E use whichever shape suits you,
live Jeff switches it up. For me I prefer to use the
barre option between the G and F chords, but the
asterisked ones where indicated.
Particularly the F* in the Choruses, so the descending
bass note is on the 4th string, even then you could
still use the barre shape and not hit the
6th and 5th strings, if you prefer.
 
In the 2 bar break, an electric guitar plays a
G5 power chord (355xxx) over the ascending scale,
Jeff plays the G as (320033) on his acoustic.
 
C    = x32010    Dm/C = x30231
C/G  = 332010    G    = 355433
Em/B = x22000    G *  = 320033
Am   = x02210    F    = 133211
Am/G = 302210    Em   = 022000
F *  = xx3211    A7/E = xx2020 or 002223
Am/E = xx2210    Ab   = 466544
Dm   = xx0231    Bb9  = x10111 or x13111
 
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======================================================
 
[Intro]
    C  C/G  C   C/G   C   C/G  C  C/G
||: /   /   /   /  |  /   /   /   /  :||[x2]
 
[Verse 1]
C            Em/B        Am     Am/G
When I was a boy I had a dream,
F             Am/E               Dm    Dm/C
All about the things I'd like to be,
G
Soon as I was in my bed,
F                 G               Em
Music played in - side my head--------,
             G *         C C/G  C C/G  C C/G  C C/G
When I was a boy I had a dream
 
[Verse 2]
C            Em/B            Am    Am/G
When I was a boy I learnt to play,
F            Am/E                Dm    Dm/C
Far into the night and drift a - way,
G
Don't wanna work on the milk or the bread,
F                        G            Em
Just wanna play my gui - tar instead-----,
             G *         C
When I was a boy I had a dream
 
[Chorus]
    C    Em/B  Am    Am/G          F *   A7/E  Dm
And ra - dio   waves    ...kept me com - pan - y,
Ab    G        C      Em/B  Am     Am/G
In ...those ...beau - tiful days,
              F *  A7/E Dm
...When there was  no   money,
             Bb9         C
When I was a boy I had a dream
 
[Verse 3]
C            Em/B        Am      Am/G
When I was a boy I had a dream,
F                Am/E              Dm     Dm/C
Finding out what life could really mean,
G
Don't want a job, 'cause it drives me crazy,
F                        G
Just wanna sing, 'Do you love me, baby?'
Em               G *         C
    When I was a boy I had a dream
 
[Chorus]
    C    Em/B  Am    Am/G         F *   A7/E  Dm
And ra - dio   waves   ...kept me com - pan - y,
Ab    G        C      Em/B  Am     Am/G
In ...those ...beau - tiful days,
              F *  A7/E Dm
...When there was  no   money,
             Bb9         C
When I was a boy I had a dream
 
[Break]
      G
e |--(3)----------------|-------------------|
B |--(3)----------------|----------------0--|
G |--(0)----------------|--------0-1-2-3----|
D |--(0)-----------0-1--|--2-3-4------------|
A |--(2)-0-1-2-3-4------|-------------------|
E |---3-----------------|-------------------|
 
[Guitar solo]
  C    Em/B    Am   Am/G    F *  A7/E    Dm    Ab G
| /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / |
 
  C    Em/B    Am   Am/G    F *  A7/E    Dm
| /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / |
 
[Coda]
             Bb9       Bb9  C
When I was a boy...
X