Walk On The Wild Side chords
by Lou ReedSong Key: C Major
Time Signature: 4/4
Tempo: 104 bpm
Guitar Tuning: Standard (E A D G B e)
Skill Level: Beginner 🟢
Chords: C, F, F6, D
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Music Video
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Walk On The Wild Side
Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key C F6 C F6 C F6 C F6
Intro: 4/4 ‖ | | | | | | | ‖
C F6
1. Hol-ly came from Mi-am-i F. L. A.
C F6
Hitch-hiked her way ac-ross the U.S.A.
C D
Plucked her eye-brows on the way
F D
Shaved her legs and then he was a she She says
C F6
Hey Babe Take a walk on the wild side
C F6
Said Hey Honey Take a walk on the wild side
C F6 C F6
‖ | | | ‖
C F6
2. Can-dy came from out on the is-land
C F6
In the back-room she was ev'-ry-bo-dy's dar-lin'
C D
But she ne-ver lost her head
F D
E-ven when she was giv-in’ head She says
C F6
Hey Babe Take a walk on the wild side
C F6
Said Hey Babe Take a walk on the wild side (And the col-ored girls go)
C F6
‖: Doo doo-doo doo-doo doo-doo-doo | Doo doo-doo doo-doo doo-doo-doo :‖ x4
C F6 C F6
‖ (doo) | | | ‖
C F6
3. Lit-tle Joe ne-ver once gave it a-way
C F6
Ev-‘ry-bo-dy had to pay and pay
C D
A hus-tle here and a hus-tle there
F D
New York City is the place where they said
C F6
Hey Babe Take a walk on the wild side
C F6
I said Hey Joe Take a walk on the wild side
C F6 C F6
‖ | | | ‖
C F6
4. Sug-ar Plum Fairy came and hit the streets
C F6
Look-in' for soul food and a place to eat
C D
Went to the A-pol-lo
F D
You should have seen him go go go They said
C F6
Hey Sug-ar Take a walk on the wild side
C F6
I said Hey Babe Take a walk on the wild side All-right
C F6 C F6
‖ (huh)| | | ‖
C F6
5. Jack-ie is just spee-ding a-way
C F6
Thought she was James Dean for a day
C D
Then I guess she had to crash
F D
Val-i-um would have helped that bash I said
C F6
Hey Babe Take a walk on the wild side I said
C F6
Hey Honey Take a walk on the wild side (And the col-ored girls say)
C F6
‖: Doo doo-doo doo-doo doo-doo-doo | Doo doo-doo doo-doo doo-doo-doo :‖ x6
C F6 C F6
‖ (doo) | | | ‖... repeat to fade
Arrangement Details:
- Key Signature: C Major – no sharps or flats
- Time Signature: 4/4 — Four quarter-note beats per measure
- Tempo: Moderately
- Metronome: ♩ = 104
- Voice Range: F3 - A4
- Chord Types in This Arrangement:
- Major: C, F, D
- 6th: F6
Understanding the F6 Chord
A 6th chord is built from the scale degrees 1–3–5–6. So for F6, the chord tones are:- F (1)
- A (3)
- C (5)
- D (6)
A very easy way to play F6 on guitar is to start with your open‑position F chord (as shown in your chord charts) and simply add your 4th finger to the 3rd fret on the 2nd string.
That note is D, which gives you the all‑important 6th.
But that’s completely fine:
- The 6th (D) is the defining colour of the chord
- The 5th is the least essential chord tone and is often omitted
In practice, this shape sounds great and is a perfect beginner‑friendly way to introduce the warm, jazzy flavor of a 6th chord.
Dampening Tips for Beginners
- Dampening simply means stopping unwanted strings from ringing. There are several ways to dampen strings, including left-hand dampening, right-hand dampening, and the "unused finger" technique. This song is particularly well suited to left-hand dampening.
- You'll need to dampen the C and F6 chords throughout each verse.
- Left-hand dampening: After strumming a chord, slightly release the pressure of your fretting hand without lifting your fingers completely off the strings. This stops the chord from ringing.
With the F6 chord, this technique works well as all the strings are covered by your fingers, so when you release the pressure, all the strings are naturally muted.
With an open C chord, however, some strings remain open. When you release the pressure, these open strings may continue to ring.
With practice, you can lightly touch the open strings with a fretting finger without pressing them down, muting them as you release the chord. Another effective method is to tilt your fretting hand slightly forward, allowing your fingers to gently touch the strings and stop them from ringing. - The song uses a steady down-up strumming pattern, with dampening on the 2nd and 4th beats of each bar. Listen carefully to the recording and try playing along with the video to develop a feel for the rhythm.
- It may take a little practice at first, and you might choose to adapt the pattern slightly to suit your playing style. However, this is an excellent song for developing your string dampening technique.
Song Details:
- Songwriters: Lou Reed
- Lyrics Begin: Holly came from Miami F.L.A.
- Genre: Glam rock
- Featured Artist: Lou Reed
- Album: Transformer
Recorded: August 1972
Released: November 8, 1972 - Single:
Recorded: August 1972
Released: November 24, 1972
B-side: Perfect Day
You may also like:
| Song / Artist | Capo | Key | Core Chords |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Man Needs a Maid - Neil Young | - | F | F, G, Gm, Am, Bb, C, Csus4, Dm, Dm7, Em, Em7 |
| Beast Of Burden - The Rolling Stones | - | E | E, C#m, A, B |
| Changes - David Bowie | - | C | C, Cmaj7, Db6, Dbmaj7, D, Dm7, Eb7, Ebm7, Em, Em7, F, Fmaj7, G, G7, G11, G13, Am, Bbsus2 |
| Heart Of Gold - Neil Young | - | Em | Em, Em7, G, Am, Bm, C, D |
| Imagine - John Lennon | - | C | C, Cmaj7, F, G, G7, E7, Am, Dm7 |
| Wild World - Cat Stevens | - | Am | Am, C, Cmaj7, D7, Dm, Dsus2, E, F, G |
