The Joke Explained Chords

KeyD CapoNone TuningStandard Difficulty Plays550

The Joke Explained by Wilco is a moderately challenging guitar song played in the key of D. It uses the chords E, A, D, G and F#m. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.

Transpose
D
Text
16
Speed
  			
E                   A 
I never held your gaze 
E                 A   E 
I never know my place 
        D          A 
Oh, I stare at the eyes 
               E 
Starin' at my face 
                     A 
It always ends in a tie 
E                          A 
There is no needing the divine 
    D         A       E 
I cry at the joke explained 
                   D               A 
Oh, but if I had known, if I had known 
           D                E       A     E   A 
If I had known, I would've never believed 

E                   A 
I never smoked my chains 
E                      A 
Whoever measures the crest 
      D       A               E 
Oh, they can have my broken chest 
                   A 
It's a staring contest 
E             A                      
In a hall of mirrors 
         D         A              E 
I sweat tears, but I don't ever cry 

                   D               A 
Oh, but if I had known, if I had known 
           D                E       A     E   A   E 
If I had known, I would've never believed 

G   D   G   D   F#m   E   F#m   E 

                    A 
I never knelt at a noose 
E                        A 
My pair perished in the pews 
    D      A             E 
I climbed back into the yoke 
                     A 
It always ends in a tie 
E                          A                   
There is no hitting the design 
    D         A       E 
I cry at the joke explained 

                   D               A 
Oh, but if I had known, if I had known 
           D                E       A 
If I had known, I would've never believed 
E                   A 
I would've never believed 
E                   D     E   A 
I would've never believed 

E   A (x2) 
 
    	

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