A Thousand Matches

Passenger - A Thousand Matches: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "A Thousand Matches" on your guitar with our detailed chord guide and lyrics. 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.

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Chords and Lyrics - Jump straight to the song's lyrics and chord overlay.
Chord Diagrams and Key Transposition - Access chord diagrams and learn how to transpose the key of the song to suit your voice.

Learn A Thousand Matches Guitar Chords and Lyrics by Passenger

This section will guide you through each part of the song, providing the guitar chords placed directly above the lyrics for easy playing. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, these elements will help you perform "A Thousand Matches" smoothly on your guitar.

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

E                              Amaj7
Lying on the mattress 'cos my friend's
       B              E      Amaj7 B
crazy sister took my bed away
           E
Sleeping she looked like an actress,
    Amaj7          B
in theory and in practice, I said
          E                    Amaj7  B
"There's got to be a better way"
               E
She said "You light a thousand matches,
         Amaj7        B
when you finally set fire,
          E       Amaj7 B
well you run away"
   C#m              G#m             Amaj7
So why'd you go and do it when you knew
                      B         E
that you would go and I would stay

I hit the wall in frustration,
the conversation had been circling for days
She said don't take it out on him,
for the wall has always been
Supportive in the best of ways
We're laughing and crying like madmen
dying in the snow
For just one second it was funny
that she would have to stay and I would go

Chorus:
        Amaj7       E     B        E
I said "Love, you know I love you so;
         Amaj7         E           B               E
when you love someone well you've got to let them know."
               Amaj7      E        B            E
And she said "Nothing's changed I love you the same,
             Amaj7         E             B             E
but when you love someone sometimes you gotta let 'em go"

She handed me a stone in the perfect
shape of a heart
She said I'm gonna take this home
For I know you'll only lose it
somewhere after dark
In some faceless hotel room
You seem to lose everything you know
She didn't mean it how it sounded
What she meant was she would stay and I would go

Chorus

Amaj7          B            E
Sometimes you tear it all apart
Amaj7       B              E
to see the wood from the trees.
Amaj7           B             E B C#m Amaj7
Sometimes you break your own heart
    B       E
to set yourself free

I walked her to the station
Hesitation in our movements and our tone
Words finally left after realizing
How uncomfortable they'd grown
See, what you want and what you need, well
They seldomly succeed to grow
We reluctantly agreed that when you love someone
You gotta let them go


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Guitar Chord Diagrams

Amaj7

C#m

G#m

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.

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Chords and Lyrics
Chord Diagrams and Key Transposition

If you are also interested in learning how to play "A Thousand Matches" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "A Thousand Matches" by Passenger.

Passenger - A Thousand Matches: Guitar Chords

Learn A Thousand Matches Guitar Chords and Lyrics by Passenger

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