What's The Frequency, Kenneth? chords by
R.e.m. (Official Version)

1994Rock1.4K views

Key: D majorDifficulty: Beginner

Intro 1

D

G

D

A

G

Verse 1
A A 
 
D D 
 
"What's the frequency, Kenneth?"
Bm Bm 
 
is your
G G 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
A A 
 
G G 
 
Benzedrine uh- huh
A A 
 
D D 
 
Bm Bm 
 
I was brain-dead, locked out, numb,
G G 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
Bm Bm 
 
E E 
 
D D 
 
not up to speed

Pre-chorus 1

G

A

I thought I'd pegged you an idiot's dream

G

A

Tunnel vision from the outsider's screen

Chorus 1

D

A

D

G

I never understood the frequency,

A

G

A

uh- huh

D

A

D

You wore our expectations like an

G

A

G

A

D

armored suit, uh- huh

Verse 2

A

D

Bm

I'd studied your cartoons, radio, music, TV,

G

A

D

A

G

movies, magazines

A

D

Bm

Richard said, "Withdrawal in disgust

G

A

D

Bm

E

is not the same as apathy"

Pre-chorus 2

G

A

A smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth

G

A

You said that irony was the shackles

Chorus 2
of youth
D D 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
G G 
 
You wore a shirt of violent green,
A A 
 
G G 
 
A A 
 
uh- huh
D D 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
G G 
 
I never understood the frequency,
A A 
 
G G 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
uh- huh

Solo 1

Bm

A

Bm

A

Bm

A

A

G

A

D

Verse 3
A A 
 
D D 
 
"What's the frequency, Kenneth?"
Bm Bm 
 
is your
G G 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
A A 
 
G G 
 
Benzedrine uh- huh
A A 
 
D D 
 
Bm Bm 
 
Butterfly decal, rearview mirror,
G G 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
Bm Bm 
 
E E 
 
dogging the scene

Pre-chorus 3

G

A

You smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth

G

A

You said that irony was the shackles

Chorus 3
of youth
D D 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
G G 
 
You wore a shirt of violent green,
A A 
 
G G 
 
A A 
 
uh- huh
D D 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
G G 
 
I never understood the frequency,
A A 
 
G G 
 
A A 
 
uh- huh
D D 
 
A A 
 
You wore our expectations
D D 
 
G G 
 
A A 
 
like an armored suit, uh- huh
G G 
 
A A 
 
I couldn't understand
D D 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
You said that irony was the shackles
G G 
 
A A 
 
of youth, uh- huh
G G 
 
A A 
 
I couldn't understand
D D 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
G G 
 
You wore a shirt of violent green,
A A 
 
uh- huh
G G 
 
A A 
 
I couldn't understand
D D 
 
A A 
 
I never understood,
D D 
 
G G 
 
A A 
 
G G 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
don't fuck with me, uh- huh

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TunerE A D G B E

ChordsD G A Bm E

Chords

D
G
A
Bm
E

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

D: x-x-0-2-3-2
G: 3-2-0-0-0-3
A: x-0-2-2-2-0
Bm: x-2-4-4-3-x
E: 0-2-2-1-0-0

Capo: No capo

Transpose: 0

0

Accurately transcribed by the GuitarTuna team.

Most chord-change problems come from the strumming hand, not the fretting hand. The basic strumming course covers the patterns and timing that make any chord progression easier to play. Practice basic strumming

This is the definitive original version of What's The Frequency, Kenneth? by R.E.M., 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 suits players who want to learn What's The Frequency, Kenneth? the way R.E.M. intended, without oversimplifying the arrangement.

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