Back On Top Chords

KeyEm CapoNone TuningStandard Difficulty Plays745

Back On Top by Van Morrison is a moderately challenging guitar song played in the key of Em. It uses the chords Em, C, Am7, Bm7, Cmaj7, G and D. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.

Transpose
Em
Text
16
Speed
  			(intro)  Em  C (3x) 
         Am7  Bm7  Cmaj7 (2x) 
         Am7  Bm7  G 

(verso 1) 
Em 
 You came to see me, 
         C 
When the moon was new, 
Em 
 Saw you standin', 
       C 
In the pouring rain, 
Em 
 Left my message, 
       C 
On the window pain; 

Am7          Bm7      Cmaj7 
 Back on the street a-gain, 
Am7          Bm7    Cmaj7 
 Back on the beat a-gain, 
    Am7         Bm7   G 
I'm back on the top a-gain. 

(verso 2) 
Em 
 Saw me climbing to, 
    C 
The top of the hill, 
Em 
 You saw me meeting with, 
    C 
The fools on the hill. 
Em 
 Learned my lesson, 
      C 
And I had my fill. 

Am7        Bm7    Cmaj7 
 Learnt it all in vain, 
Am7              Bm7   Cmaj7 
 Went through it all a-gain, 
        Am7         Bm7   G 
Now I'm back on the top a-gain. 

(Refrão 1) 
D 
 Always strivin', always climbing, 
       C 
Way be-yond my will. 
D 
 Same old sensation; 
                 C 
Isolation at the top of the bill. 

D 
 Always seeming, like I'm moving, 
        C 
But I'm really going slow. 
D 
 What do you do, 
When you get to the top 
            C 
And there's nowhere to go? 

(verso 4) 
Em 
 Just how I get there, 
        C 
Will be anybody's guess, 
Em 
 With all the so called, 
          C 
Trappings of success. 
Em 
 Left all the deadbeats, 
       C 
On the top of the hill. 

Am7       Bm7     Cmaj7 
 Too busy raisin' Cain, 
    Am7         Bm7      Cmaj7 
I'm back on the street a-gain, 
    Am7         Bm7   G 
I'm back on the top a-gain. 

(sax solo)  Em  C (3x) 
            Am7  Bm7  Cmaj7 (2x) 
            Am7  Bm7  G 

(Refrão 2) 
D 
 Always strivin', always climbing, 
       C 
Way be-yond my will. 
D 
 Same old sensation; 
                 C 
Isolation at the top of the bill. 

D 
 Always seeming, like I'm moving, 
        C 
But I'm really going slow. 
D 
 What do you do, 
When you get to the top 
            C 
And there's nowhere to go? 

(verso 5) 
Em 
 Just how I get there, 
        C 
Will be anybody's guess, 
Em 
 With all the so called, 
          C 
Trappings of success. 
Em 
 Left all the deadbeats, 
       C 
On the top of the hill. 

Am7       Bm7     Cmaj7 
 Too busy raisin' Cain, 
    Am7         Bm7      Cmaj7 
I'm back on the street a-gain, 
    Am7         Bm7   G 
I'm back on the top a-gain. 

(interlude 3x)  Em  C 

(coda) 
Am7          Bm7      Cmaj7 
 Back on the street a-gain, 
Am7          Bm7    Cmaj7 
 Back on the beat a-gain, 
    Am7         Bm7   G 
I'm back on the top a-gain. 
    	

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