Death Cab for Cutie - I Was a Kaleidoscope: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "I Was a Kaleidoscope" 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.

A           D             E
I put on my overcoat and walked into winter
    D/F#
My teeth chattered rhythms
And they were grouped in twos or threes
Like a Morse code message was sent from me to me
And cars on slippery slopes, they're stuck
People pushing through their mittens as
I was beginning
To feel it soaking through my shoes
Getting colder with every step
I took to your apartment, dear

And I was a kaleidoscope
The snow on my lenses distorting the image
Of what was only one of you
And I didn't know which one
to address as all your lips moved

F#m                    A
And this is when I forget to breathe
    E                                Bm
And all the things I scripted, they sound unfounded
And it's that look that you're giving me
That tells me exactly what you are thinking

D                  A
This ain't working anymore

D
They got their mothers worked into a panic
Bm
Sledding down hills into oncoming traffic
      D
Then parents layered clothes until the children
                        Bm
couldn't move and then left them outside 'til
their noses were blue
    F#m    Dm          A
And I got left there, too

I put on my overcoat and walked into winter
My teeth chattered rhythms
And they were grouped in twos or threes
Like a Morse code message was sent from me to me


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

A

Guitar chord A

D

Guitar chord D

Dm

Guitar chord Dm

E

Guitar chord E

F#

Guitar chord F#

F#m

Guitar chord F#m

Bm

Guitar chord Bm

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 "I Was a Kaleidoscope" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "I Was a Kaleidoscope" by Death Cab for Cutie.

Death Cab for Cutie Song List