Start A War chords by The National (Official Version)

GuitarPianoUkulele

C
F
Gsus4
C/E
Dm7
F/A
G
C/G
F/C
G/C
Dm7/C

Intro 1

Verse 1
C 
F 
We ex (C major) pected some (F major) thing,
Gsus4 
C/E 
something  (Gsus4) better   than before  (C/E) 
F 
Dm7 
C 
We ex (F major) pected something  (D minor7) more  (C major) 
F 
Do you really  (F major) think you can just
Gsus4 
C/E 
 (Gsus4) put      it in a  (C/E) safe
F 
Dm7 
C 
Behind a  (F major) painting, lock it  (D minor7) up    and leave?  (C major) 
C 
F 
 (C major) Do you really  (F major) think you can just
Gsus4 
C/E 
 (Gsus4) put      it in a  (C/E) safe
F 
Dm7 
C 
Behind a  (F major) painting, lock it  (D minor7) up    and leave?  (C major) 
F/A 
G 
C/G 
 (F/A) Walk away  (G major) now  (C/G) 
F 
C 
 (F major) and you're gonna  (C major) start a war
F/C 
G/C 
C 
 (F/C)  (G/C)  (C major) 
F/C 
Dm7/C 
 (F/C)  (D minor7/C) 

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Chorus 1
C 
F/C 
 (C major) Whatever  (F/C) went  away,
G/C 
F/C 
I'll get it  (G/C) over  now  (F/C) 
F 
Dm7/C 
C 
 (F major) I'll get  (D minor7/C) money,   I'll get  (C major) funny again
Whatever went away,
F/C 
G/C 
F/C 
 (F/C) I'll get it  (G/C) over  now  (F/C) 
F 
Dm7/C 
C 
 (F major) I'll get  (D minor7/C) money,   I'll get  (C major) funny again
F/A 
G 
C/G 
 (F/A) Walk away  (G major) now  (C/G) 
F 
C 
 (F major) and you're gonna  (C major) start a war
F/C 
G/C 
C 
 (F/C)  (G/C)  (C major) 
F/C 
Dm7/C 
C 
 (F/C)  (D minor7/C)  (C major) 

Verse 2
C 
F 
We ex (C major) pected some (F major) thing,
Gsus4 
C/E 
something  (Gsus4) better   than before  (C/E) 
F 
Dm7 
C 
We ex (F major) pected something  (D minor7) more  (C major) 
F 
You were always  (F major) weird
Gsus4 
C/E 
but I  (Gsus4) never    had to  (C/E) hold  you
F 
Dm7 
C 
By the  (F major) edges, like  (D minor7) I     do now  (C major) 
F 
You were always  (F major) weird
Gsus4 
C/E 
but I  (Gsus4) never    had to  (C/E) hold  you
F 
Dm7 
C 
By the  (F major) edges, like  (D minor7) I     do now  (C major) 
F/A 
G 
C/G 
 (F/A) Walk away  (G major) now  (C/G) 
F 
C 
 (F major) and you're gonna  (C major) start a war
F/C 
G/C 
C 
 (F/C)  (G/C)  (C major) 
F/C 
Dm7/C 
 (F/C)  (D minor7/C) 

Chorus 2
C 
F/C 
 (C major) Whatever  (F/C) went  away,
G/C 
F/C 
I'll get it  (G/C) over  now  (F/C) 
F 
Dm7/C 
C 
 (F major) I'll get  (D minor7/C) money,   I'll get  (C major) funny again
Whatever went away,
F/C 
G/C 
F/C 
 (F/C) I'll get it  (G/C) over  now  (F/C) 
F 
Dm7/C 
C 
 (F major) I'll get  (D minor7/C) money,   I'll get  (C major) funny again
F/A 
G 
C/G 
 (F/A) Walk away  (G major) now  (C/G) 
F 
C 
 (F major) and you're gonna  (C major) start a war
F/C 
G/C 
C 
 (F/C)  (G/C)  (C major) 
F/C 
Dm7/C 
C 
 (F/C)  (D minor7/C)  (C major) 
F/A 
G 
C/G 
 (F/A) Walk away  (G major) now  (C/G) 
F 
C 
 (F major) and you're gonna  (C major) start a war
F/C 
G/C 
C 
 (F/C)  (G/C)  (C major) 
F/C 
Dm7/C 
C 
 (F/C)  (D minor7/C)  (C major) 

Outro 1
F/C 
G/C 
C 
 (F/C)  (G/C)  (C major) 
F/C 
C 
 (F/C)  (C major) 
F/C 
G/C 
C 
 (F/C)  (G/C)  (C major) 
F/C 
C 
 (F/C)  (C major) 
F/C 
G/C 
C 
 (F/C)  (G/C)  (C major) 
F/C 
Dm7 
C 
 (F/C)  (D minor7)  (C major) 
F/A 
G/C 
C 
 (F/A)  (G/C)  (C major) 
F/C 
Dm7 
C 
 (F/C)  (D minor7)  (C major) 

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GuitarPianoUkulele

C
F
Gsus4
C/E
Dm7
F/A
G
C/G
F/C
G/C
Dm7/C

Tuning: E A D G B EDifficulty: IntermediateKey: C majorBPM: 130

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

C: x-3-2-0-1-0
F: x-3-3-2-1-x
Gsus4: 3-x-0-0-1-3
C/E: 0-3-2-0-1-0
Dm7: x-x-0-2-1-1
F/A: x-0-3-2-1-x
G: 3-2-0-0-0-3
C/G: 3-x-2-0-1-0
F/C: x-3-3-2-1-x
G/C: x-3-5-4-3-3
Dm7/C: x-3-x-2-3-1

Accurately transcribed by the GuitarTuna team.

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This is the definitive original version of Start A War by The National, 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 C major. It is designed for guitarists ready to move past the basics and capture the true feel of The National's performance.