Guitar lesson for "Love Story" by Taylor Swift


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

Chord progressions used in this song

INTRO
| D . . . | . . . . | Bm . . . | . . . . |
| G . . . | . . . . | A  . . . | . . . . |
                                    (with riff)

VERSE
"We were both young when I first saw you..."
| D . . . | . . . . | Bm . . . | . . . . |
| G . . . | . . . . | A  . . . | . . . . |

PRE-CHORUS
"That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles..."
| G . . . | A . . . | Bm . . .  | D . . . |
| G . . . | A . . . | Bm  . . . | A . . . |

CHORUS
"Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone..."
| D  . . . | . . . . | A . . . | . . . . |
| Bm . . . | . . . . | G . . . | . . . . |

BRIDGE
"I got tired of waiting..."
| Bm . . . | G . . . | D . . . | A . . . | (x2)

How to play the chords

Here is the simplest way to play the chords used throughout this song. Note, the final chorus goes up one full step to the key of E – which makes all of these chords change. Technically you could get away without making this change (as the new chords aren’t as simple to play), but they’re shown below as well.

e-|---2-----2-----3-----0-----          e-|----0----2-----4-----0-----
B-|---3-----3-----3-----2-----          B-|----0----4-----5-----2-----
G-|---2-----4-----0-----2-----          G-|----1----4-----6-----2-----
D-|---0-----4-----0-----2-----          D-|----2----4-----6-----2-----
A-|---------2-----2-----0-----          A-|----2----2-----4-----0-----
E-|---------------3-----------          E-|----0----------------------
      D     Bm    G     A                      E    B    C#m    A

Picking pattern for the intro & verse riff

If you want to sound like the album version of this song, these are the versions of the chords you’ll use for the intro and verse riff. The main thing to note is that the high E string is left open the whole time, so that it can be heard and remains constant as the chords change. The exact picking pattern is shown below.

e-|---0-----0-----0-----0-----
B-|---3-----3-----3-----3-----
G-|---2-----4-----0-----2-----
D-|---0-----4-----0-----2-----
A-|---------2-----2-----0-----
E-|---------------3-----------
      D     Bm    G     A

Here is how you pick the riff that is heard in the song’s intro and during the verses. When you’re learning this, practice putting your left hand into the chord position that each pattern uses. This will help you realize that patterns like this are typically nothing more than picking strings that are within set chords.

e-|------0---0--------|------0---0--------|------0---0--------|------0---0--------
B-|--------3---3---3--|--------3---3---3--|--------3---3---3--|--------3---3---3--
G-|----2---------2----|----2---------2----|--------------4----|--------------4----
D-|--0----------------|--0----------------|----4--------------|----4--------------
A-|-------------------|-------------------|--2----------------|--2----------------
E-|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------
     D                                       Bm

 -|------0---0--------|------0---0--------|------0---0--------|------0---0--------
 -|--------3---3---3--|--------3---3---3--|--------3---3---3--|--------3---3---3--
 -|----0---------0----|----0---------0----|----2---------2----|----2---------2----
 -|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------
 -|-------------------|-------------------|--0----------------|--0----------------
 -|--3----------------|--3----------------|-------------------|-------------------
     G                                       A

Lyrics w/ chords

INTRO
    D ... Bm ... G ... A ... (see riff below)

VERSE
    D
    We were both young when I first saw you
      Bm
    I close my eyes and the flashback starts
                 G                         A
    I'm standing there... in a balcony and summer air

    See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns
    See you make your way through the crowd
    And say hello... little did I know

PRE-CHORUS
             G                        A
        That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles
               Bm                          D
        And my Daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet"
                  G
        And I was crying on the staircase
        A                        Bm    A        G
        Begging you please don't go....... and I said

CHORUS
          D
          Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone
          A
          I'll be waiting, all we've got to do is run
          Bm
          You be the prince and I'll be the princess
          G                  A (let ring)           D
          It's a love story, baby just say... "yes"

    So, I sneak out to the garden to see you
    Keeping quiet, 'cause we're dead if he knew
    So close your eyes... escape this town for a little while

      Oh, 'cause you were Romeo, I was the scarlet letter
      And my Daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet"
      And you were everything to me
      I was begging you please don't go... and I said

          Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone
          I'll be waiting, all we've got to do is run
          You be the prince and I'll be the princess
          It's a love story, baby just say "yes"

          Romeo, save me... they're trying to tell me how to feel
          This love is difficult, but it's so real
          Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess
          It's a love story, baby just say "yes"

          (instrumental chorus x1)

BRIDGE
                             Bm       G
              I got tired of waiting...
                           D                        A
              Wondering if you were ever coming around
              My faith in you was fading
              When I met you on the outskirts of town... and I said

          Romeo, save me... I've been feeling so alone
          I keep waiting for you but you never come
          Is this in my head, I don't know what to think
          He knelt to the ground, and pulled a ring and said

FINALE          
               E
              "Marry me, Juliet You never have to be alone
              B
              I love you, and that's all I really know
              C#m
              I talked to your Dad, go pick out a white dress
              A                  B
              It's a love story, baby just say..."

              E          B         C#m
              Yes... Oh, oh... Oh, oh...
                     A                                   E (let ring)
              'Cause we were both young when I first saw you

Good luck!

I hope this lesson helped you. If you’d like to see me make a video lesson for this song, or have any other requests – let me know!

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Gain instant access to my library of 243 print-friendly cheat sheets! Also includes my extended video lessons, jam tracks, courses, and more.

Join Song Notes Premium

Have questions? Watch video tour »

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

Fret Monster

Interactive fretboard map! See the patterns behind every scale in any key.

View

Capo Captain

An easy way to calculate key & chord combinations, for any capo location!

View

Key Master

See and hear the notes, chords, scales used in each of the most common keys.

View

Blank Tabs

Free PDF templates to download, print, and write out your own guitar tabs!

View

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

  • Oct 24, 2024

    "Fast Car" - Strumming & Rhythm Guide!

    I've gotten a ton of emails asking how to strum Fast Car — here's a lesson showing 3 possible approaches! You can strum the whole song using what I teach, or combine this with the fingerstyle riff from lesson #494.

  • October 18, 2024

    CAGED - It's More Than Just Chords!

    Learn how each CAGED shape contains not only a chord, but also an arpeggio, pentatonic, and full diatonic scale! This is a must-know realization that'll level up any practice you do with these shapes.

  • October 3, 2024

    Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee"

    In honor of Kris Kristofferson's passing, here's a brand new play-along cover of his 1971 classic Me and Bobby McGee – with some updated strumming tips included.

  • September 27, 2024

    Paul Simon Fingerstyle with "59th Street Bridge Song"

    Let's dive into Simon & Garfunkfel's 1966 hit, where I'll walk you through several ways to tackle Paul Simon's Travis-style fingerpicking.

  • September 20, 2024

    Fingerstyle & Travis Picking Lesson Roundup!

    I've been busy organizing all my lessons teaching fingerstyle & Travis picking, and have them in a new easy-to-browse layout. Check 'em out here!

  • September 13, 2024

    "Rebel Rouser" - 1950s Lead Guitar Lesson

    Let's learn how to play Duane Eddy's 1958 classic! This song's memorable riff is easy to approach, but poses a fun challenge as the song changes key over and over. I'll walk you through it all, jam tracks included!

  • September 5, 2024

    Lead Guitar Lesson Roundup!

    I've organized all my lead guitar lessons into a new easy-to-browse area of the website! Whether you're interested in techniques or learning song-based riffs, I've got a lot of lessons I'm sure you'll enjoy.

  • Aug 30, 2024

    "Linger" by The Cranberries

    A deep-dive into The Cranberries 1993 classic, showing you the intro riff and three different ways to strum the verse & chorus. Such a fun song to play!

Browse All Recent Lessons →

← back to homepage