Bastille - The Waves: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "The Waves" on your guitar with our chord guide. This page provides everything you need to perform this song on the guitar, including lyrics integrated with chords, chord diagrams, and a key transposer to match your vocal range.

For easier playing, use our Simplify Chords feature to remove difficult chords like barre.

                              E       G#m B
Staring down the barrel of a hundred tons
(We're on the way)
    F#                              E             G#m B
It might be getting older, but the night's still young
(We're on the way)
    F#                          E       G#m B
We never, never give up on the lost boy life
(We're on the way)
    F#                             E       G#m B F#
So here we are, escaping from the world outside
(We're on the way)

 E                                 G#m                            F#
Oh, what would your mother say if she could see what we're doing now?
 E                                 G#m                          F#
Oh, what would your mother say if she could hear what we talk about?

Chorus:
     E          B                           F#            G#m
The waves are crashing down on you and me again, again, again
     E          B
The waves are crashing down on you and me
     F#             G#m
I'll see you on the other side
 E          B             F#
Get carried, get carried away, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
 E          B                   F#
Caught up in, caught up in the waves

Suddenly we're fallin' through the twilight zone
(We're riding the wave)
Watch the party playing out in slow motion
(We're riding the wave)
So tie a ribbon 'round my arm and throw me in
(We're riding the wave)
Is it an apocalypse or nihilism on your lips? We sink or swim
(We're riding the wave)

Oh, what would your mother say if she could see what we're doing now?
Oh, what would your mother say if she could hear what we talk about? (Hey)

Chorus

     E                 G#m
The air hit me on the way out
        F#
Did it make me more sober or make me more drunk?
E                   G#m       F#
I couldn't quite remember the vision of you and of me
     E                 G#m
The air hit me on the way out
        F#
Did it make me more sober or make me more drunk?
E                   G#m       F#
I couldn't quite remember the vision of you and of me

Chorus:
The waves are crashing down on you and me again, again, again
The waves are crashing down on you and me
I'll see you on the other side
Get carried, get carried away, oh-oh-oh-oh
Caught up in, caught up in the waves

They're crashing down, they're crashing down, oh
(The waves)
They're crashing down on you and me
I'll see you on the other side
(We're riding the wave)


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

E

Guitar chord E

F#

Guitar chord F#

G#m

Guitar chord G#m

B

Guitar chord B

Here you can see detailed diagrams for each guitar chord used in the song. Utilize our key transposer to adjust the chords to a key that better fits your singing range. Simply select the desired key, and the chords throughout this page will update automatically, ensuring you can play and sing comfortably.

If you are also interested in learning how to play "The Waves" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "The Waves" by Bastille.