Premium
VIP
Beta Tester
A Lovely Night
by La La Land • Lesson #48 • Feb 22, 2017
Editor’s Notes
Here’s an acoustic guitar lesson for A Lovely Night from the 2016 film La La Land. Using a capo on the 3rd fret, you’re able to play this song using open chords — which makes for good fun. There’s some tricky chords in there but I’ll walk you through things. I hope you enjoy!
Free Video Lesson
Looking for a Print-Friendly Guide?
This is one of my few lessons that doesn't have a printable song sheet / PDF available. If you'd like to request I make one, let me know by clicking the button below! If there's enough demand I'll bump it toward the top of the list.
Capo on 3rd fret
This lets you play with standard chords in the shape of the C family – which is much easier than dealing with chords in the family of E-flat! Note, for the other La La Land lessons I’ve done – I’ve also used capo 3. Again, for the simplest possible way to play these songs (along with the movie / soundtrack), this is the best bet in my opinion.
Lyrics and chords
CAPO 3rd FRET
C Caug Dm Ddim
The sun is nearly gone, the lights are turning on
E Am G/B C
A silver shine that stretches to the sea
C Caug Dm Ddim
We stumbled on a view, that's tailored made for two
E Am G/B C
What a shame those two are you and me
Dm G C A7
Some other girl and guy... would love this swirling sky
Dm G C E
But there's only you and I... and we've got no shot
F G Em A7
This could never be... you're not the type for me
Dm G
And there's not a spark in sight
C Dm G C F#m Badd6
What a... waste of a lovely night
E Eaug F#m F#dim
You say there's nothing here, well let's make something clear
G# C#m B/D# E
I think I'll be the one to make that call
E Eaug F#m F#dim
And though you looked so cute in your polyester suit
G# C#m B/D# E
You're right, I'd never fall for you at all
F#m B E C#7
And maybe this appeals, to someone not in heels
F#m B E G#
Or to any girl who feels... there's some chance for romance
A B
But.. I'm frankly feeling nothing
A B
Is that so? or it could be less than nothing
A B
Good to know! So you agree? That's right
A B E
What a waste of a lovely night
E / Eaug / F#m / F#dim / G# / / / / F#m Badd6 / E
C-augmented and D-diminished chords
“Simple” way to play:
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B –––––––––––––––––3–––––––3–––––
G –––0–––––1–––––––2–––––––1–––––
D –––2–––––2–––––––3–––––––3–––––
A –––3–––––3–––––––––––––––––––––
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
C Caug Dm Ddim
More melodic (advanced) way to play:
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G –––––––0h2–––1––2–––––––––––1h2––1––2––
D –––––2–––––––2––––––––0––3–––––––3–––––
A –––3–––––––––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
C Caug D Ddim
E-augmented and F#-diminished chords
On the E chords, use your index and middle fingers on the B and G strings.
For the F# chords, use your middle finger on the low E string. Use your ring and pinky fingers on the B and G strings (and use your index finger on the 1st fret of the B string). Your pinky is the only finger moving as you switch between F#m and F#-dim.
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B –––0–––––1–––––––2–––––––1–––––
G –––1–––––1–––––––2–––––––2–––––
D –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E –––0–––––0–––––––2–––––––2–––––
E Eaug F#m F#dim
Other chords
Aside from the diminished and augmented chords, here’s how to play all other chords you’ll need.
Verse 1
This is the verse that’s in the key of C (assuming your’e using a capo on 3rd fret… technically it’s in the key of E-flat).
E –––0––––1––––3––––0––––1––––0––––––––––––––––
B –––1––––3––––0––––2––––1––––0––––1–––––3–––––
G –––0––––2––––0––––0––––2––––1––––2–––––0–––––
D –––2––––0––––0––––2––––3––––2––––2–––––0–––––
A –––3–––––––––2––––0––––3––––2––––0–––––2–––––
E –––––––––––––3–––––––––1––––0––––––––––––––––
C Dm G A7 F E Am G/B
Verse 2
This is the verse in the key of E. More barre chords here. More difficult for sure. If you can’t play these but want to perform the entire song, just re-use all the chords from verse 1 (i.e., don’t change the key).
E ––0–––4–––––––––5–––7––––2––––4––––6–––––
B ––0–––4––––4––––5–––7––––2––––5––––6–––––
G ––1–––5––––4––––6–––8––––3––––6––––6–––––
D ––2–––6––––4––––7–––9––––4––––6––––––––––
A ––2–––6––––6––––7–––9––––4––––4––––––––––
E ––0–––4–––––––––5–––7––––2–––––––––––––––
E G# B/D# A B F#m C#m Badd6
Misc riffs
Intro:
E –––2––––––1–––––––0––––––––––––––0–––––––––
B –––––3––––––2–––––––1––––––––––0––––––3~~~–
G –––––––4––––––3–––––––2––––––0–––––––––––––
D –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Walking up from Am to G/B to C:
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0–––––––0–––
B –––––––0–––––––1––0––––3––1–––––––––1–––––
G –––––1–––2–––––2–––––––0––––––––––0–––––––
D –––2–––––––––––2–––––––0––––––––2–––––––––
A –––––––––––––––0–––––––2––––––3–––––––––––
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E Am G/B C
Browse Related Lessons
Click any tag below to view other lessons I've made in that category:
Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!
Most of the lessons on my website are 100% free. If you have the means, please show your support with a tip jar contribution. I put many hours into every lesson — but it only takes you a minute to make a donation. You have my thanks!
Looking for More Song Lessons?
Featured Courses
Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made
Coming soon is Jambox – which shows all the video jam tracks I've made. It's note quite ready for the spotlight, but check it out if you like!
Subscribe to my YouTube channel
Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!
Recent Lessons
-
November 15, 2024
"Scarlet Begonias" by Grateful Dead
-
November 12, 2024
Does CAGED Help When Learning Songs?
-
November 8, 2024
Rhythm Deep Dive: "Guitar Town" by Steve Earle
-
Nov 1, 2024
Website Tour – November 2024
-
Oct 24, 2024
"Fast Car" - Strumming & Rhythm Guide!
-
October 18, 2024
CAGED - It's More Than Just Chords!
-
October 3, 2024
Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee"
-
September 27, 2024
Paul Simon Fingerstyle with "59th Street Bridge Song"