R.E.M. - [Don't Go Back To] Rockville: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "[Don't Go Back To] Rockville" 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
Looking at your watch a third time
E                               A
waiting in the station for the bus
E
Going to a place that's far,
E                               A
so far away and if that's not enough
 B             A    G#m    C#m
Going where nobody says hello,
C#m                         Bm          A
they don't talk to anybody they don't know

You'll wind up in some factory
That's full-time filth and nowhere left to go
Walk home to an empty house
Sit around all by yourself
I know it might sound strange but I believe
You'll be coming back before too long

Chorus:
 E                F#m    B
Don't go back to Rockville,
 E                F#m    B
don't go back to Rockville,
 E                F#m    B
don't go back to Rockville
A
And waste another year

At night, I drink myself to sleep
And pretend I don't care
that you're not here with me
'Cause it's so much easier to handle
All my problems if I'm too far out to sea
But something better happen soon
Or it's gonna be too late to bring you back

Chorus

E                            A    B  A B
It's not as though I really need you
E                           A    B  A B
If you were here I'd only bleed you
F#m      C#m          F#m       C#m
But everybody else in town only wants
              A
to bring you down and
                            B
That's not how it ought to be
                              A
Well I know it might sound strange but
G#m  C#m
I believe
C#m                     Bm        A
You'll be coming back before too long

Chorus - x2


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

A

Guitar chord A

C#m

Guitar chord C#m

E

Guitar chord E

F#m

Guitar chord F#m

G#m

Guitar chord G#m

B

Guitar chord B

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 "[Don't Go Back To] Rockville" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "[Don't Go Back To] Rockville" by R.E.M..

R.E.M. Song List