Absolute Beginners chords by
David Bowie (Official Version)
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Key: D majorDifficulty: Advanced

Intro 1
A A 
 
D D 
 
Dsus4 Dsus4 
 
D D 
 
Dsus4 Dsus4 
 
A A 
 
Asus4 Asus4 
 
A A 
 
Asus4 Asus4 
 
D D 
 
Dsus4 Dsus4 
 
D D 
 
Dsus4 Dsus4 
 
A A 
 
Asus4 Asus4 
 
A A 
 
Asus4 Asus4 
 
D D 
 
D D

Verse 1
Bm Bm 
 
Amaj7 Amaj7 
 
I've nothing much to offer
Gdim7 Gdim7 
 
F#7b9 F#7b9 
 
G G 
 
There's nothing much to take
D D 
 
C C 
 
I'm an absolute beginner
Bm Bm 
 
Em Em 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
But I'm absolutely sane
Bm Bm 
 
Amaj7 Amaj7 
 
As long as we're together
Gdim7 Gdim7 
 
F#7b9 F#7b9 
 
G G 
 
The rest can go to       hell
D D 
 
C C 
 
I absolutely love you
Bm Bm 
 
G G 
 
But we're absolute beginners
D D 
 
F# F# 
 
With eyes completely open
A A 
 
But nervous all the same

Chorus 1
D D 
 
If our love song
Dmaj7 Dmaj7 
 
G G 
 
Could fly over mountains
Bm Bm 
 
Could laugh at the ocean
F#7 F#7 
 
Just like the films
Em Em 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
There's no reason
Dmaj7 Dmaj7 
 
G G 
 
To feel all the hard times
Bm Bm 
 
To lay down the hard lines
A A 
 
Asus4 Asus4 
 
It's absolutely true

Interlude 1

A

Asus4

A

Asus4

D

D

Verse 2
Bm Bm 
 
Amaj7 Amaj7 
 
Nothing much could happen
Gdim7 Gdim7 
 
F#7b9 F#7b9 
 
G G 
 
Nothing we can't    shake
D D 
 
C C 
 
Oh, we're absolute beginners
Bm Bm 
 
Em Em 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
With nothing much at stake
Bm Bm 
 
Amaj7 Amaj7 
 
As long as you're still smiling
Gdim7 Gdim7 
 
F#7b9 F#7b9 
 
G G 
 
There's nothing more I        need
D D 
 
C C 
 
I absolutely love you
Bm Bm 
 
G G 
 
But we're absolute beginners
D D 
 
F# F# 
 
But if my love is your love
A A 
 
We're certain to succeed

Chorus 2
D D 
 
If our love song
Dmaj7 Dmaj7 
 
G G 
 
Could fly over mountains
Bm Bm 
 
Could sail over heartaches
F#7 F#7 
 
Just like the films
Em Em 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
If  there's reason
Dmaj7 Dmaj7 
 
G G 
 
To feel all the hard times
Bm Bm 
 
To lay down the hard lines
A A 
 
It's absolutely true

Outro 1
D D 
 
D D 
 
G G 
 
G G 
 
Bm Bm 
 
Bm Bm 
 
F# F# 
 
Em Em 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
D D 
 
G G 
 
G G 
 
Bm Bm 
 
Bm Bm 
 
Asus4 Asus4 
 
Asus4 Asus4 
 
[Repeat and fade]

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TunerE A D G B E

ChordsA D Dsus4 Asus4 Bm...

Chords

A
D
Dsus4
Asus4
Bm
Amaj7
Gdim7
F#7b9
G
C
Em
F#
Dmaj7
F#7

Finger positions, low to high (E A D G B e). 0 is open, x is muted.

A: x-0-2-2-2-0
D: x-x-0-2-3-2
Dsus4: x-x-0-2-3-3
Asus4: x-0-2-2-3-0
Bm: x-2-4-4-3-x
Amaj7: x-0-2-1-2-0
Gdim7: 3-x-2-3-2-x
F#7b9: x-x-4-3-5-3
G: 3-2-0-0-0-3
C: x-3-2-0-1-0
Em: 0-2-2-0-0-0
F#: 2-4-4-3-2-2
Dmaj7: x-x-0-2-2-2
F#7: 2-4-2-3-2-2

Capo: No capo

Transpose: 0

0

Accurately transcribed by the GuitarTuna team.

Barre chords ask a lot of the fretting hand. The barre course walks through hand position, pressure, and the cleanest way to land each shape. Practice barre chords

Sus2 and sus4 swap the third in a chord for a second or fourth. The sus course covers the shapes and how to drop them into a progression. Practice sus chords

This is the definitive original version of Absolute Beginners by David Bowie, transcribed exactly as it was recorded in the studio. Unlike our simplified arrangement, this chart preserves the precise chord voicings and progressions in the original key of D major. It is designed for experienced players looking to reproduce the full sonic intent and artistic expression of David Bowie.

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