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About this lesson
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!
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
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