R.E.M. - Driver 8: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "Driver 8" 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.

 Em            Am         G        D/F#
The walls are built up, stone by stone,
 Em           Am          G   D/F#
The fields divided one by one.
          Em             Am
And the train conductor says
          G          D/F#      Em        Am
"Take a break driver 8, driver 8 take a break
           G                 D/F#
We've been on this shift too long".

Chorus:
D         C              D
And the train conductor says
         C           D         C          D
"Take a break Driver 8, Driver 8 take a break
        C             Em
We can reach our destination,
 Em/F#  Em/G  Em/F#  Em
We're still a ways away."
(But it's still a ways away)

I saw a treehouse on the outskirts of the farm.
The power lines have floaters so the airplanes won't get snagged.
Bells are ringing through the town again,
Children look up, all they hear is sky-blue, bells ringing

Chorus

 Am                    C
Way to seal the hated heat.
 G                     D
Way to put myself to sleep.
 Am                      C
Way to shield the hated heat.
 G                      D
Way to put myself, my children to sleep.

He piloted this song in a plane like that one.
She is selling faith on the Go Tell crusade.
Locomotive 8, Southern Crescent, hear the bells ring again.
Field to weed is lookin' thin

Chorus:
And the train conductor says
(Driver 8) "Take a break, Driver 8
(Driver 8) Driver 8, take a break
We've been on this shift too long."
And the train conductor says
"Take a break, Driver 8
Driver 8, take a break
We can reach our destination
We're still a ways away."
(But it's still a ways away)
But we're still a ways away
(But it's still a ways away)


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

Am

Guitar chord Am

C

Guitar chord C

D

Guitar chord D

Em

Guitar chord Em

F#

Guitar chord F#

G

Guitar chord G

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 "Driver 8" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "Driver 8" by R.E.M..

R.E.M. Song List