Fire Engine Red Chords

KeyC CapoNone TuningStandard Difficulty Plays450

Fire Engine Red by Robert Francis is a moderately challenging guitar song played in the key of C. It uses the chords C, D, G, Bm and Am. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.

Transpose
C
Text
16
Speed
  			
Intro:
C    D 
G    Bm 
C 

C                          D 
 Tryin' to get her to stay home 
                                         G 
 was worst than pulling a sword from the stone 
                              Bm 
 I'm sweating bullets in Palos Verdes 
                         C 
 Please, don't leave me on my own 

C                       D 
 I wanted her to be my wife 
                            G 
 I wanted her to want that life 
                           Bm 
 It ended the same way it started 
                            C 
 Behind the door, holding that knife 


        C          C               Am  
 While I'm happy, I was wrong and mislead 
             C                D           G 
 She took me to your lipstick fire engine red 


C                              D 
 You were brighter than a neon sea 
                            G 
 of signs that say "no vacancy" 
                                    Bm 
 The few brave men you've let check in 
                                    C 
 still brag about the times they've been 

C                         D 
 Over the limit, drunk on wine 
                       G 
 Below the Mason Dixon line 
                              Bm 
 I promised that I'd start to pray 
                                C 
 if the police looked the other way 


      C        C           Am 
 And I didn't go to jail, wind up dead 
               C                   D           G 
 I prayed each night for your lips fire engine red 


          C                               D 
 They said: "You cannot clear a jump that wide 
                         G 
 A stunt like that is suicide" 
                            Bm 
 But when I got the courage to 
                              C 
 I spent the night alone with you 

C                         D 
 I think I'm the luckiest guy 
                          G 
 I used to be too numb to cry 
                               Bm 
 I don't know how I timed this right 
                           C 
 You're just the prettiest sight 


      C          C                  Am 
 In the movies people change when they bled 
           C                     D           G 
 Inside my veins your lipstick's fire engine red 


C                     D 
 I must admit I'm insecure 
                                  G 
 That's what all those women were for 
                        Bm 
 I don't wanna be who I am 
                        C 
 If nobody else gives a damn 

C                            D 
 We've been together 'bout a year 
                                 G 
 I can't say that don't bring me fear 
                               Bm 
 I'm scared to come home every night 
                                  C 
 I'm scared to keep the checkbook tight 


       C         C                    Am 
 Renting movies in your room, in your bed  
               C                    D           G 
 You kissed my cheek, with lipstick fire engine red 


C                            D 
 You always wear the same perfume 
                             G 
 It reminds you of the hotel room 
                            Bm 
 The one in which I swore I knew 
                                      C 
 I'd spent the rest (of) my life with you 

C                                   D 
 But I tell you "you should take it off 
                               G 
 I don't wanna smell like that stuff" 
                               Bm 
 Sometimes my heart it gets so dark 
                            C 
 You sit and watch it fall apart 


    C             C                 Am 
 Run a needle through what's left, tie the thread 
              C                   D           G 
 Don't let me leave your lipstick fire engine red 


C                              D 
 What's two people supposed to do 
                                G 
 When restlessness gets hold of you 
                             Bm 
 I'm drowning in my drinking cup 
                              C 
 I can't, I will not give you up 

C                              D 
 But if flowers never stay and bloom 
                        G 
 I'd do we in a one bed room 
                           Bm 
 We're both victims to our fear 
                            C 
 I'll be a man and hold you near 


    C               C                Am 
 If you leave me, you'll survive in my head 
            C                   D           G 
 I won't forget your lipstick's fire engine red  
    	

Chord diagrams

Guitar tuner

--
Start the tuner and play a string

Reference tones

Standard tuning, lowest to highest. Click a string to play it; the string the mic hears is highlighted.

Click Start tuner and allow microphone access. The needle centers and turns green when a string is in tune (within 5 cents).
No microphone? You can still tap any string above to hear its exact reference pitch.

Metronome

100 BPM Andante