Going Down Chords
Going Down by Neutral Milk Hotel is a moderately challenging guitar song played in the key of Em. It uses the chords Em, G, A, E and D. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.
If I know Jeff Mangum like I think I do, this guy hardly ever changes tuning for any of
his songs. Going Down is no exception. I may be off with some of the strumming here, but
this sounds pretty damn accurate to me:
CHORDS USED:
Em G A E E D D
e|------| |------| |------| |------| |------| |------| |------|
B|------| |------| |------| |------| |------| |------| |------|
G|------| |------| |------| |------| |--9---| |------| |--7---|
D|--2---| |--5---| |--7---| |--14--| OR |--9---| |--12--| OR |--7---|
A|--2---| |--5---| |--7---| |--14--| |--7---| |--12--| |--5---|
E|--0---| |--3---| |--5---| |--12--| |--X---| |--10--| |--X---|
Main Riff:
This is actually the trickiest part of this song. This is the closest I could come to
it, and while it isn't 100%, its still pretty spot on:
v
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-2--------0-0-2-2-2-2-2p0-------------------------------------------------|
A|-2---0h2------------------2p0---------------------------------------------|
E|-0------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Don't be afraid to hit the E string while playing any singular notes.
Main riff plays throughout Verse:
I crush the world I was in
Will I destroy the world I will find?
I'll work the tools with my hands
I'll stick the needles in my eyes
Chorus: