The Band - The Shape I’m In: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "The Shape I’m In" 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.

G
Go out yonder, peace in the valley
Come downtown, have to rumble in the alley
 D                               G
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in

Has anybody seen my lady
This livin' alone would drive me crazy
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in

Chorus:
C             Dm          Em Dm/E C
I'm gonna go down by the water
 C                 Dm          Em Dm/E
But I ain't gonna jump in, no, no
C             Dm            Em  Dm/E
I'll just be looking for my maker
F                        D7
And I hear that that's where she's been? Oh!

Oh out of nine lives, I spent seven
Now how in the world do you get to Heaven
Oh you don't know the shape I'm in

Chorus:
I've just spent 60 days in the jail house
For the crime of having no dough, no no
Now here I am back out on the street
For the crime of having nowhere to go

Save your neck or save your brother
Looks like it's one or the other
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in

Now two young kids might start a ruckus
You know they feel you're tryin' to shuck us
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in

Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

C

Guitar chord C

D

Guitar chord D

Dm

Guitar chord Dm

D7

Guitar chord D7

E

Guitar chord E

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 "The Shape I’m In" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "The Shape I’m In" by The Band.

The Band Song List