Stay

by Alessia Cara and Zedd • Lesson #64 • May 4, 2017

Editor’s Notes

Here’s my acoustic guitar lesson for Stay by Alessia Cara and Zedd. I’ll teach the chords, strumming, show tabs for the riff, and more. 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.

Click to Request

Capo on 1st fret…

If you want to play along with the album version, toss a capo on the first fret! Note, in my video lesson I’m not using a capo.

Chords

Note the optional pinky additions, on the high E-string:

---0+3---2+3---0+3---
---1-----3-----0-----
---0-----2-----0-----
---2-----0-----2-----
---3-----------2-----
---------------0-----
   C     D     Em

Simple chorus riff (high E string)

Use your pinky on the 3rd fret of the high E string for all the chords, as shown here:

e –––3–––––––––––3––2––––––––3–––––––––––3––2–––––––––
B –––1–––––––––––3–––––––––––0–––––––––––3––––––––––––
G –––0–––––––––––2–––––––––––0–––––––––––2––––––––––––
D –––2–––––––––––0–––––––––––2–––––––––––0––––––––––––
A –––3–––––––––––––––––––––––2––––––––––––––––––––––––
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––0––––––––––––––––––––––––
     1  +  2  +  3  +  4  +  1  +  2  +  3  +  4  +  
     C           D           Em          D

Strumming

Verse, all down strums:

C         Em    D
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8     
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
>         >     >

Chorus, with muted chops:

C       D       Em      D
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
d x     dux     d x     dux
>       >       >       >

Breakdown riff

Mainly, play this:

e –––3–––––––––––3––2––––––––7–––––––––––7–/5–––––––––
B –––1–––––––––––3–––––––––––8–––––––––––0––3–––––––––
G –––0–––––––––––2–––––––––––9–––––––––––0––0–––––––––
D –––2–––––––––––0–––––––––––9–––––––––––x––4–––––––––
A –––3–––––––––––––––––––––––7–––––––––––7–/5–––––––––
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
     •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  
     C           D           Em          D

In the album version you hear this the third time it’s played in each sequence:

e –––3–––––––––––3––2––––––––7–––––––––––2––2–––––––––
B –––1–––––––––––3–––––––––––8–––––––––––5––4–––––––––
G –––0–––––––––––2–––––––––––9–––––––––––2––2–––––––––
D –––2–––––––––––0–––––––––––9–––––––––––4––4–––––––––
A –––3–––––––––––––––––––––––7–––––––––––2––2–––––––––
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
     •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  
     C           D           Em          B

Lyrics with chords

VERSE

    C                    Em          D
    Waiting for the time to pass you by
    C                        Em               D   
    Hope the winds of change will change your mind
    C                   Em          D
    I could give a thousand reasons why
          C        Em            D
    And I know you... and you've got to

PRE-CHORUS

    C                           Em                     D
    Make it on your own, but we don't have to grow up, we can stay forever young
    C                           Em            D
    Living on my sofa, drinking rum and cola, underneath the rising sun
    C                   Em          D
    I could give a thousand reasons why
                C     Em         D  
    But you're going... and you know that

CHORUS
                              C      D            Em        D
        All you have to do is stay a minute, just take your time
            C        D           Em     (D)
        The clock is ticking, so stay...
                              C      D            Em       D   
        All you have to do is wait a second, your hands on mine
            C        D           Em     (D)
        The clock is ticking, so stay

BREAKDOWN

        C - D - Em - D

        (no lyrics, but same chords as the chorus)

And so on, and so forth.

Good luck!

Let me know if you have questions. I hope this was helpful.

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Gain instant access to my library of 287 print-friendly cheat sheets! Also includes my extended video lessons, jam tracks, courses, and more.

Join Song Notes Premium

Have questions? Watch video tour »

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!

Donate

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

  • Sept 10, 2025

    Diagonal Pentatonics, Explained!

    A deep-dive into one of the most helpful techniques when learning to unlock the fretboard for lead guitar fun! Includes a 15-page PDF handbook, along with ten new play-along practice tracks.

  • August 29, 2025

    "Margaritaville" by Jimmy Buffett

    After dozens and dozens of requests over the last few years, the time has come! Learn to play Jimmy Buffett's 1977 classic Margaritaville. Intro riff and melodic strumming fills included!

  • Aug 22, 2025

    First Steps with Double Stops — 16 Page Handbook Included!

    Take your first step with double stops — specifically harmonized 3rds, 6ths, and 10ths. These are useful in fingerstyle, lead guitar, improvsation, and more! Don't miss my Double Stop Handbook, which has over 15 pages of tabs, diagrams, and easy-to-digest theory.

  • Aug 3, 2025

    Fingerstyle Fun feat. Ozzy Osbourne's "Mama I'm Coming Home"

    Learn a bite-sized fingerstyle groove, inspired by the opening intro & verse of Ozzy Osbourne's 1991 hit "Mama I'm Coming Home."

  • July 31, 2025

    [Updated] "Lola" Instrumental Intro, with Melody

    I've updated my practice notes teaching an extended intro to Lola by The Kinks. "Part 2" video teaching the lead guitar fill riff also added.

  • July 25, 2025

    "Sloop John B" by The Beach Boys

    Let's dive into this Bahamian folk-rock classic made most famous by The Beach Boys! It's a somewhat simple to get the hang of, but I'll show various ways you can make it your own.

  • July 22, 2025

    [Updated] Beginner Blues Groove in A minor

    I've added a new video jam track to this beginner blues lesson — which lets you play along with a minor 12-bar blues, showing the chords on screen. Check it out!

  • July 18, 2025

    Minor Key Handbook – Now Available!

    I’m so excited to release the Minor Key Handbook – featuring 8 print-friendly pages with the must-know essentials for playing guitar in minor keys!

  • July 11, 2025

    Melody & Chords, Together! ft. Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"

    Learn to play the Hallelujah melody, with chords, at the same time! This is an incredibly satisfying way to play one of the all-time great songs.

Browse All Recent Lessons →

← back to homepage