Fast Car Chords
The core chords below have been checked against published sources. Any synchronized timeline is an automatic estimate.
Chords in this song
Chords for Fast Car by Tracy Chapman. The checked core chords are Dmaj7, A, F#m, E, Esus4, usually played with a capo on fret 2. Press play to follow the automatic chord timeline, or click a chord to jump there.
How to play Fast Car
A is the sounding key listed for this recording. With a capo on fret 2, play Cmaj7, G, Em, Dadd11 shapes, which sound as Dmaj7, A, F#m, E, Esus4.
Difficulty: Easy — mostly open chords, with F#m as the one tricky shape. The capo can make these shapes easier to play.
Spotify-derived sites say Em - inconsistent with capo-2 evidence; our A matches the recording.
Chords you need
With a capo on fret 2, finger these as Cmaj7, G, Em, Dadd11.
Chord progression through the song
The core chords below have been checked against published sources. Any synchronized timeline is an automatic estimate.
Frequently asked
What key is Fast Car in?
Fast Car by Tracy Chapman is in the key of A, at around 104 BPM. With a capo on fret 2, you play Cmaj7, G, Em, Dadd11 shapes, which sound in A.
What chords do I need for Fast Car?
The checked core chords are Dmaj7, A, F#m, E, Esus4, which most players finger as Cmaj7, G, Em, Dadd11 with a capo on fret 2.
Is Fast Car good for beginners?
Easy. Mostly open chords, with F#m as the one tricky shape. The capo turns the chords into Cmaj7, G, Em, Dadd11 shapes.
What capo do you use for Fast Car?
Fret 2. With the capo there you play Cmaj7, G, Em, Dadd11 shapes, and the song sounds in its original key of A.