R.E.M. - World Leader Pretend: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "World Leader Pretend" 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.

Learn World Leader Pretend Guitar Chords and Lyrics by R.E.M.

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 "World Leader Pretend" smoothly on your guitar.

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

D            G
I sit at my table
C         D
and wage war on myself
    G              C
It seems like it's all,
              D
it's all for nothing
D           G
I know the barricades,
C               D
and I know the mortar in the wall breaks
   G
I recognize the weapons,
C D
I used them well

Chorus:
Em
This is my mistake.
Bm
Let me make it good
Em
I raised the wall,
    Bm                               G A
and I will be the one to knock it down

I've a rich understanding of my finest defenses
I proclaim that claims are left unstated,
I demand a rematch
I decree a stalemate,
I divine my deeper motives
I recognize the weapons,
I've practiced them well
I fitted them myself

Chorus:
It's amazing
what devices you can sympathize (Empathize)
This is my mistake, let me make it good
I raised the wall and
I will be the one to knock it down

Am             C
Reach out for me
     Am                       C
and hold me tight. Hold that memory
          Am
Let my machine talk to me.
     C          G        A
Let my machine talk to me

This is my world and
I am the World Leader Pretend
This is my life and this is my time
I have been given the freedom
to do as I see fit
It's high time I raised the walls
that I've constructed

Chorus:
It's amazing what devices
you can sympathize (Empathize)
This is my mistake,
let me make it good
I raised the wall and
I will be the one to knock it down

You fill in the mortar,
you fill in the harmony
You fill in the mortar,
I raised the wall
And I'm the only one,
I will be the one to knock it down


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

A

Guitar chord A

Am

Guitar chord Am

C

Guitar chord C

D

Guitar chord D

Em

Guitar chord Em

G

Guitar chord G

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

R.E.M. Song List