Don't Stop Now

Words and music by Neil Finn. Copyright © 2007 Roundhead Music. Published by EMI Music Publishing Ltd.

Transcribed by Tom Johnstone

The verses in this song are basically just C to D over and over, but it doesn't get boring because Nick inverts the chords every other line by playing the 3rd (E and F# respectively). It's not often that you hear full-fledged, regular chords during the verses, so the chords I chose (with some liberty, since it's often very sparse) have some color to them. Hopefully it keeps things interesting and reflects the lead guitar, and the way the verses build. Note that there are two versions of C--the standard one we all know, and one with the fifth clearly ringing on top, marked C*.

Not many surprises for the rest of the song, except that sudden jam on F#. The riff implies a seventh chord, but I can't seem to pick out a third, so I chose F#7sus to reflect that ambiguity. You could also mute the G string as well, and make it F#5(7).


Capo 3rd fret

 

Intro

C   Dadd2/4   C   Dadd2/4


Opening Verse

C                                       Dadd2/4
Another pleasant day in the countryside

C                                       Dadd2/4
Has ended up in tears on a stormy night

C*                                   D
Cause you can't follow my directions home


Chorus

    G          Cadd2
But don't stop now


Verse 2

Cadd2/E                                   Dadd2/F#
God knows where the satellite's taking us

C                                       Dadd2/4
Can't tell what is right in front of us

      C/E           D/F#
But I hang on every word


Chorus

    G          Cadd2
But don't stop now

    G          Cadd2
No, don't stop now

        Am              C
Give me something I can write about


(Repeat Verse and Chorus)


           Am              C
...Give me something I can cry about


Bridge

Em
In the church house ten miles out of town

G
Is the devil gonna track me down

Em  
When you travel through a tunnel in the trees

G
Just remember that's how you get to me

F#7sus
There's no number on the house, the birds are heading south

D
Sometimes you have to 

Cadd2/E             Dadd2/F#
turn the wrong way 'round

                      C                D
Sometimes you get too close to nowhere now


Inst. Break

G

C
(Message hopeful, the silence I wait)

G                                             C
(With a blank piece of paper on the top of my head)

                  Am              C
And all I want is something I can write about

              Em7             C
All I want is something I can cry about

C*   D
Ooooooh

Em

 


Chords


Dadd2/4     554030
C*          x32013
Cadd2       x32030
Cadd2/E     032030
Dadd2/F#    2x0230
C/E         032010
D/F#        2x0232
F#7sus      242422
Em7         022030