FAST CAR

(TRACY CHAPMAN)

BEGINNER GUITAR LESSON

Original Tempo: 104bpm | Capo: 2nd Fret

Learn how to play “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman with this gentle fingerstyle guitar lesson. The song blends a steady folk rhythm with simple open-position chords that sound beautiful together. In this lesson, you’ll get that ever popular fingerstyle part (TAB featured in the video), clear chord diagrams, an approachable strumming pattern, and a chord guide to help you follow along with the video tutorial. It’s a great song for developing right-hand consistency, smooth chord transitions, and confidence in fingerpicking or light strumming.

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CHORDS

G chord diagram for fast car fingerstyle guitar lesson

C chord diagram for fast car fingerstyle guitar lesson

Em chord diagram for fast car fingerstyle guitar lesson

D chord diagram for fast car fingerstyle guitar lesson

STRUMMING PATTERNS

CHORUS STRUMMING PATTERN

Strumming pattern for fast car chorus intermediate guitar lesson

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CHORD GUIDE

INTRO (0:00)

|Cmaj7 G |Em D | x 4

VERSE (0:20)
Cmaj7               G
You got a fast    car, and
Em                       D
I want a ticket to anywhere
Cmaj7                      G
Maybe we make a deal
Em                                     D
Maybe together we can get somewhere
Cmaj7          G
Any place is better
Em                             D
Starting from zero got nothing to lose
Cmaj7                     G
Maybe we'll make something, but
Em                D
me myself I got nothing to prove

INTRO 2 (0:38)

|Cmaj7 G |Em D |
|Cmaj7 G |Em D |

VERSE 2 (0:48)
Cmaj7          G
You got a fast car, and
Em              D
I got a plan to get us outta here
          Cmaj7                        G
I been working at the convenience store
Em                           D
managed to save just a little bit of money
Cmaj7                        G
won’t have to drive too far
       Em                          D
just 'cross the border and into the city
Cmaj7      G
You and I can both get jobs, and
Em         D
finally see what it means to be living

VERSE 3 (1:15)
              Cmaj7              G
You see my old man's got a problem
     Em                                D
He lives with the bottle, that's the way it is
                     Cmaj7                   G
He says his body's too old for working
      Em                         D
His body's too young to look like his
      Cmaj7                G
My mama went off and left him
     Em                                     D
she wanted more from life than he could give
           Cmaj7                         G
I said, “somebody's got to take care of him"
    Em                         D
so I quit school and that's what I did

INTRO 4 (1:34)
|Cmaj7 G |Em D |

|Cmaj7 G |Em D |

VERSE 4 (1:43)
Cmaj7      G
You got a fast car,
             Em                       D
but is it fast enough so we can fly away?
Cmaj7                G
We gotta make a decision
Em                        D
leave tonight, or live and die this way

INTRO 5 (1:52)

|Cmaj7 G |Em D |

CHORUS (2:01)
                                                      C
So I remember when we were driving, driving in your car
      G
the speed so fast I felt like I was drunk
Em
    the city lights lay out before us
                D
and your arm felt nice wrapped round my shoulder
       C Em          D
and I         had a feeling that I belonged
       C Em           D
and I          had a feeling I could be someone
C                   D
be someone, be someone.

INTRO 6 (2:22)

|Cmaj7 G |Em D |

VERSE 5 (2:31)
Cmaj7              G
You got a fast car
    Em                        D
and we go cruising to entertain ourselves
Cmaj7                       G
You still ain't got a job,
        Em                          D
and I work in a market as a checkout girl.
Cmaj7                     G
I know things will get better
Em                             D
you'll find work and I'll get promoted
Cmaj7                 G
We'll move out of the shelter
Em                               D
buy a bigger house, and live in the suburbs

INTRO 7 (2:50)

|Cmaj7 G |Em D |

CHORUS (2:59)

C
So I remember when we were driving, driving in your car
       G
the speed so fast I felt like I was drunk
               Em
and the city lights lay out before us
                D
and your arm felt nice wrapped round my shoulder
       C Em          D
and I         had a feeling that I belonged
      C Em           D
and I         had a feeling I could be someone
C                    D
be someone, be someone.

INTRO 8 (3:19)

|Cmaj7 G |Em D |

VERSE 6 (3:29)
Cmaj7             G
You got a fast car
     Em                       D
and I got a job that pays all our bills.
      Cmaj7            G
You stay out drinking late at the bar,
      Em                                 D
see more of your friends than you do of your kids.
Cmaj7                   G
I'd always hoped for better.
               Em                        D
Thought maybe together     you and me would find it,
Cmaj7              G
I got no plans, I ain't going nowhere,
   Em                            D
so take your fast car and keep on driving.

INTRO 9 (3:47)

|Cmaj7 G |Em D |

CHORUS (3:55)
C
So I remember when we were driving, driving in your car             G
the speed so fast I felt like I was drunk
                Em
and the city lights lay out before us
               D
and your arm felt nice wrapped round my shoulder
       C Em          D
and I         had a feeling that I belonged
      C Em           D
and I        had a feeling I could be someone
C                       D
be someone, be someone

INTRO 10 (4:16)

|Cmaj7 G |Em D |

VERSE 7 (4:26)
Cmaj7             G
You got a fast car,
Em                                      D
but is it fast enough so you can fly away?
Cmaj7                           G
You gotta make a decision:
Em                        D
leave tonight, or live and die this way.

OUTRO (4:35)

|Cmaj7 G |Em D |

Copyright Disclaimer

This file is the authors work and represents my interpretation of the song. It is intended solely for private study, scholarship, or research. The chord charts and lesson sheets provided are simplified resources to support online learning. For official sheet music, I highly recommend purchasing from licensed publishers such as Hal Leonard or Musicnotes.