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Pretend You're Happy Tab by Jay Foreman

Pretend You're Happy tab by Jay Foreman

Guitar Tab

Capo on 1st

Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E)



Intro:
   E
E|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
G|---1---1---1---1---1---1---1---1-|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-----2-------2-------2-------2---|
E|-0-------0-------0-------0-----1-|


Verse:
   E               Am
E|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---0---0---0---0---1---1---1---1-|
G|---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-----2-----------0-------0-------|
E|-0-------0---4-------0-------1---|
Bloody hell  bloody hell the world is awful

   E7              Am
E|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---0---3---3---0---1---1---1---1-|
G|---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-----2-------2---0-------0-2-3-0-|
E|-0-------0-----1-----0-----------|
Well there's killing and starvation and injustice and religion everywhere

   E7              Am
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---0---3---3---3---1---1---1---1-|
G|---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-----2-------2---0-------0-------|
E|-0-------0-----------0-------1---|
Everything  everything is looking dreary

   E7              Am
E|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---0---3---3---0---1---1---1---1-|
G|---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|-----------------------------0---|
A|-----2-------2---0-------0-----0-|
E|-0-------0-----1-----0-----------|
There's too many people in the world and far too much pollution in the air.

   Dm              Am
e|---1---1---1---1---0---0---0---0-|
B|---3---3---3---3---1---1---1---1-|
G|---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2-|
D|-0-------0-----------------------|
A|-----0-------0---0-------0-----0-|
E|---------------------0-------0---|
Everything I used to love has turned to shit
                   All the world's gone bankrupt now and...

   E7              Am
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---0---3---3---0---1---1---1---1-|
G|---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|-----------------------------0---|
A|-----2-------2---0-------0-----0-|
E|-0-------0-----1-----0-----------|
It Doesn't look like things will soon improve

   Dm              Am
e|---1---1---1---1---0---0---0---0-|
B|---3---3---3---3---1---1---1---1-|
G|---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2-|
D|-0-------0-----------------------|
A|-----0-------0---0-------0---0---|
E|---------------------0---------1-|
I'm noticably older than I was
                   definitely fatter just...

   E               Am
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---0---0---0---0---1---1---1---1-|
G|---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-----2-------2---0-------0-------|
E|-0-------0-----------0-------1---|
Because, I no longer feel the need to move.


Pre-chorus:
   E7              Am
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---0---3---3---0---1---1---1---1-|
G|---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|-----------------------------0---|
A|-----2-----------0-------0-----0-|
E|-0-------0---2-4-----0-----------|
Well  what do you do when the world around you makes you so depressed?

  Dm       B       E7
e|---1---1---2---2---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---3---3---4---4---0---3---3---3---3---3---3---0-|
G|---2---2---4---4---1---1---1---1---1---1---1---1-|
D|-0---------------------------------------0-------|
A|-----0-0/2-----2-----2-------2-------2-----------|
E|-------------2---0-------0-------0---------0-2-4-|
What do you do when you've lost the motivation to get dressed?


Chorus:
   A               E
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---2---2---2---2---0---3---3---3-|
G|---2---2---2--2----1---1---1--1--|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-0-------0-----------2-------2---|
E|-----0-------2-4-0-------0-------|
Pretend that you are happy, And smile when you're feeling blue

   Bm7     E       Am
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---3---3---3---3---2---2---2---2-|
G|---2---2---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-2-----2-----2---0-------0-------|
E|-----2---0-----0-----0-----0-2-4-|
If you pretend you're happy, You'll start to believe it's true

   A       F#m     Bm7     E
e|---0---0---2---0---2---2---0---0-|
B|---2---2---2---2---3---3---0---0-|
G|---2---2---2--2----2---2---1--1--|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-0-----------4---2-----2-----0---|
E|-----4---2-----2-----2---0-------|
It's better to fake a smile, Than fill the world with woe

   Bm7     E7
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---3---3---3---3---3---0-|
G|---2---2---1---1---1--1--|
D|-------------------------|
A|-2-----2-----2-----------|
E|-----2---0-------0---2-4-|
So just pretend you're happy, And nobody will know.


Instrumental:
   A       Dm              Am        F
e|---0---0---1---1---1---0---0---0---1---1-|
B|---2---2---3---3---3---0---1---1---1---1-|
G|---2---2---2---2---2---0---2---2---2---2-|
D|-----2---0-------0-----------------------|
A|-0-----0-----0-------3-2-0-------0-------|
E|-----------------------------0-----1---1-|


Verse:
   E               Am
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---0---0---0---0---1---1---1---1-|
G|---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-----2-----------0-------0-------|
E|-0-------0---4-------0-------1---|
Bloody hell  bloody hell the world is scary

   E7              Am
E|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---0---3---3---0---1---1---1---1-|
G|---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-----2-------2---0-------0-2-3-0-|
E|-0-------0-----1-----0-----------|
Cos there's nothing but corruption and destruction and reality TV

   E7              Am
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---0---3---3---0---1---1---1---1-|
G|---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-----2-----------0-------0-------|
E|-0-------0---4-------0-------1---|
Every day  every day I slowly realise

   E7              Am
E|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---0---3---3---0---1---1---1---1-|
G|---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|-----------------------------0---|
A|-----2-----------0-------0-----0-|
E|-0-------0---4-------0-----------|
Every single thing I used to know and trust is run by people just like me!

   Dm              Am
e|---1---1---1---3---0---0---0---0-|
B|---3---3---3---5---1---1---1---1-|
G|---2---2---2---4---2---2---2---2-|
D|-0-------0-----------------------|
A|-----0-------0---0-------0---0---|
E|---------------------0---------1-|
One at a time I'm losing touch with...
                   My former friends and lately it seems...

   E7              Am
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---0---3---3---0---1---1---1---1-|
G|---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|-----------------------------0---|
A|-----2-------2---0-------0-----0-|
E|-0-------0-----1-----0-----------|
I Never ring the contacts in my phone

   Dm              Am
e|---1---1---1---1---0---0---0---0-|
B|---3---3---3---3---1---1---1---1-|
G|---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2-|
D|-0-------0-----------------------|
A|-----0-------0---0-------0---0---|
E|---------------------0---------1-|
Every time I breathe it could be my last breath
                     And I'm getting closer to my...

   E               Am
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---0---0---0---0---1---1---1---1-|
G|---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-----2-------2---0-------0-------|
E|-0-------0-----------0-------1---|
Death, For which I will probably be alone


Pre-chorus:
   E7              Am
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---0---3---3---0---1---1---1---1-|
G|---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|-----------------------------0---|
A|-----2-----------0-------0-----0-|
E|-0-------0---2-4-----0-----------|
Well  what do you do when you've lost all the ambitions you once had

  Dm       B       E7
e|---1---1---2---2---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---3---3---4---4---0---3---3---3---3---3---3---0-|
G|---2---2---4---4---1---1---1---1---1---1---1---1-|
D|-0---------------------------------------0-------|
A|-----0-0/2-----2-----2-------2-------2-----------|
E|-------------2---0-------0-------0---------0-2-4-|
What do you do when the slightest inconvenience makes you sad?


Chorus: (x2)
   A               E
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---2---2---2---2---0---3---3---3-|
G|---2---2---2--2----1---1---1--1--|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-0-------0-----------2-------2---|
E|-----0-------2-4-0-------0-------|
Pretend that you are happy, And smile when you're feeling down

   Bm7     E       Am
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---3---3---3---3---2---2---2---2-|
G|---2---2---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-2-----2-----2---0-------0-------|
E|-----2---0-----0-----0-----0-2-4-|
If your friends think you're happy, They'll still want you around.

   A       F#m     Bm7     E
e|---0---0---2---0---2---2---0---0-|
B|---2---2---2---2---3---3---0---0-|
G|---2---2---2--2----2---2---1--1--|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-0-----------4---2-----2-----0---|
E|-----4---2-----2-----2---0-------|
You'll realise it's important, To be glad with what you've got

   Bm7     E7              A   E7
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---3---3---3---3---3---0---2---3-|
G|---2---2---1---1---1--1----2---1-|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-2-----2-----2-----------0-------|
E|-----2---0-------0---2-4-----0---|
So just pretend you're happy, And keep quiet if you're not! (Pre...)

   A               E
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---2---2---2---2---0---3---3---3-|
G|---2---2---2--2----1---1---1--1--|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-0-------0-----------2-------2---|
E|-----0-------2-4-0-------0-------|
Pretend that you are happy, And smile when you're feeling blue

   Bm7     E       Am
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---3---3---3---3---2---2---2---2-|
G|---2---2---1---1---2---2---2---2-|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-2-----2-----2---0-------0-------|
E|-----2---0-----0-----0-----0-2-4-|
If you pretend you're happy, You'll start to believe it's true

   A       F#m     Bm7     E
e|---0---0-------2-----2---0-----|
B|---2---2-----2---------3-0-----|
G|---2---2---2-------------1-----|
D|-------------------4-----------|
A|-0---------------2-------------|
E|-----4---2---------------0-----|
It's better to fake a smile, Than fill the world with woe...

   Bm7     E7
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
B|---3---3---3---3---3---0---0---0-|
G|---2---2---1---1---1---1---1--1--|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-2-----2-----2-------2-----------|
E|-----2---0-------0-------0---2-4-|
So just pretend you're happy, And nooobody will know.


Instrumental Outro:
   A       Dm      E7      A6
e|---0---0---1---1---0---0-----2-----|
B|---2---2---3---3---3---3-----2-----|
G|---2---2---2---2---1--1------2-----|
D|-----2---0-------------------------|
A|-0-----0-----0-----------0---0-----|
E|-----------------0---2-4-----------|



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Last updated: September 10, 2025

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Jay Foreman tabs for Pretend youre happy

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