Betty

by Taylor Swift • Lesson #321 • Sep 17, 2020

Video lesson

Print-Friendly Song Sheet 2 pages

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Editor’s notes

Hey friends! Here’s a solo acoustic guitar lesson showing you how to play “Betty” by Taylor Swift, from her 2020 album folklore. This song is in the key of C, standard tuning, and mainly consists of a walkdown (C-C/B-Am-Am/G-F-G) that’s used throughout the song, make it a bit easy to initially wrap your head around. I’ll teach you that, and also explain the bridge and ending sections – the latter of which has a key change. Enjoy!

Audio of me playing it on guitar

You can also hear me playing it on guitar in this audio clip:

Lyrics and chords

Here’s the lyrics and chords to Betty, from Taylor Swift’s 2020 album “Folklore”. A print-friendly version can be found in the PDF linked further up this page.

C         G/B            Am               G                 
...Betty, I won't make assumptions, about why you switched your
F/C                F/C                     G      G
Homeroom, but... I think it's 'cause of me....

C         G/B            Am           G
...Betty, one time I was riding on my skateboard
       F/C                       F/C                      G     G
When I passed your house... It's like I couldn't breathe...

C                G/B           Am              Am/G       
...You heard the rumors from Inez, you can't believe a word
    F/C                     F/C                 G     G
She says, most times... but this time it was true...

        Am           G       C    F/C        Am      G         F/C   F/C   G   G
    The worst, thing that, I ever did... was what, I did... to you----

                      C                 G/B              Am                 G     
        But if I just showed up at your party, would you have me? Would you want me?
                  F/C           Am                   G              G           
        Would you tell me to go straight to hell, or lead me to the garden?
               C                 G/B            Am              G             F/C
        In the garden, would you trust me, if I told you it was just a summer thing?
                 Am           G             G                   C        G/B  Am  G  F/C  Am  G  G
        I'm only seventeen, I don't know anything, but I know I miss you

[C]... Betty, [G/B] I know where it [Am] all went wrong, your [G] favorite song
Was [F/C] playing from the far side of the [G] gym
[C]... I was [G/B] nowhere to be [Am] found, I hate the [G] crowds
You know [F/C] that... plus I saw you dance with [G] him
[C]... You heard the [G/B] rumors from [Am] Inez, you can't [G] believe
A word she [F/C] says, most times, but this time it was [G] true

    The [Am] worst thing [G] that I [C] ever [F/C] did, was [Am] what I [G] did to [F/C] you-- [G]

        But if I just [C] showed up at your [G/B] party, would you [Am] have me, would you [G] want me
        Would you [F/C] tell me to go [Am] straight to hell... or [G] lead me to the garden?
        In the [C] garden would you [G/B] trust me if I [Am] told you it was [G] just a summer [F] thing
        I'm only [Am] seventeen, I [G] don't know anything, but I know I [C] miss you [G/B] [Am] [G] [F] [Am] [G] [G]

            [Am]...I was walking home on [G] broken cobblestones, just thinking
            [F] of you when she pulled up like... a [G] figment of my worst intentions
            [Am] she... said... "James, get in, let's [G] drive", those
            Days turned into [F] nights, slept next to her, but...[G]... I dreamt of you
            All summer [C] long [G/B] [Am] [G] [F] [F] [G] [G]

                1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
                Am        G   F                 Fm    

[C]...Betty, [G/B] I'm here on your [Am] doorstep, and I [G] planned it out
For [F] weeks now but, it's finally sinkin' [G] in
[C]...Betty, [G/B] right now is the [Am] last time I can [G] dream about
What [F] happens when you see my face [G] again

    The [Am] only [G] thing that I [C] wanna [F] do, is [Am] make it [G] up to [F] you-- [G]

So, I [C] showed up at your [G/B] party...[Am]...[G]...[F]...[Am]...[G]...[G]...
Yeah, I [C] showed up at your [G/B] party...[Am]...[G]...[F]...[Am]...[G]...[G]...

        Yeah, I [D] showed up at your [A/C#] party, will you [Bm] have me? Will you [A] love me?
        Will you [G] kiss me on the [Bm] porch in front of [A] all your stupid [A] friends?
        If you [D] kiss me, will it [A/C#] be just like I [Bm] dreamed it? Will it [A] patch your broken [G] wings?
        I'm only [Bm] seventeen, I [A] don't know any-[A] thing, but I know

                I [D] miss you....[A] [G-G]...Standing in your...[D] cardigan... [A] [G-G]
                Kissing in my...[D] car again... [A] [G-G]... stopped at a streetlight
                You know I miss [D] you.... [A] [G, let ring, end]

Taylor swift’s 2020 ACM performance

Taylor Swift’s album version

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