Should Have Known Better chords by Sufjan Stevens

Chords with lyrics

The chords might seem a bit convoluted, let's say it's an approximation.
Try playing around with the bass notes, or your own preferred chord shapes.

Capo VII

Suggested fingerings:

DmDm   x0323x
Fmaj7/A x03210
G/BG/B   x2003x
F/CF/C   x3321x
F6F6   1302xx

Fmaj7/C x33210
G6/B  x20030
FF    1332xx
G6G6   320030

Intro:

A minorAm D MajorD C majorC Fmaj7/A G/BG/B F6F6


Verse:

A minorAm            D MajorD
I should have known better
          C majorC
To see what I could see
     Fmaj7/A
My black shroud
         G/BG/B
Holding down my feelings
          F6F6
A augmentedA pillar for my enemies

A minorAm            D MajorD
I should have wrote a letter
               C majorC
And grieve what I happen to grieve
     Fmaj7/A
My black shroud
         G/BG/B
I never trust my feelings
           F6F6
I waited for the remedy


Chorus:

DmDm      F/CF/C         G/BG/B
When I was three, three maybe four
          F6F6      (F/AF/A - G/BG/B) C majorC
She left us at that video store
   G+G      F6F6      (F/AF/A - G/BG/B) C majorC
Be my rest, be my fantasy
   G+G      F6F6
Be my rest, be my fantasy

Verse:

A minorAm            D MajorD
I'm light as a feather
             C majorC
I'm bright as the Oregon breeze
     Fmaj7/A
My black shroud
         G/BG/B
Frightened by my feelings
          F6F6
I only want to be a relief

A minorAm            D MajorD
No, I'm not a go-getter
             C majorC
The demon had a spell on me
     Fmaj7/A
My black shroud
        G/BG/B
Captain of my feelings
             F6F6
The only thing I want to believe


Chorus:

DmDm      F/CF/C         G/BG/B
When I was three, three maybe four
          F6F6      (F/AF/A - G/BG/B) C majorC
She left us at that video store
   G+G      F6F6      (F/AF/A - G/BG/B) C majorC
Be my rest, be my fantasy
   G+G      F6F6
Be my rest, be my fantasy


Instrumental:

C majorC    Fmaj/C G6/B  C majorC G6/B
Fmaj/A  Fmaj7Fmaj7  G6G6   C majorC G6/B


Verse:

C majorC            Fmaj7/C
I should have known better
        G6/B
Nothing can be changed
           C majorC
The past is still the past
  G6/B       Fmaj/A
The bridge to nowhere
            Fmaj7Fmaj7    G6G6
I should've wrote a letter
         C majorC     G6/B
Explaining what I feel, that empty feeling


C majorC     Fmaj7/C
Don't back down,
        G6/B
concentrate on seeing
          C majorC
The breakers in the bar
  G6/B        Fmaj/A
the neighbor's greeting
            Fmaj7Fmaj7    G6G6
My brother had a daughter
         C majorC     G6/B
The beauty that she brings, illumination


C majorC      Fmaj7/C
Don't back down,
         G6/B
there is nothing left
          C majorC
The breakers in the bar,
  G6/B       Fmaj/A
no reason to live
            Fmaj7Fmaj7    G6G6
I'm a fool in the fetter
         C majorC     G6/B
Rose of Aaron's beard, where you can reach me


C majorC     Fmaj7/C
Don't back down:
        G6/B
nothing can be changed
      C majorC
Cantilever bridge,
  G6/B       Fmaj/A
the drunken sailor
          Fmaj7Fmaj7    G6G6
My brother had a daughter
           C majorC    G6/B    Fmaj7Fmaj7 G6G6
The beauty that she brings, illumination,   illumination