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Editor’s notes
In this lesson I’ll show you an easy acoustic guitar lesson for “Always Remember Us This Way” by Lady Gaga, as heard in the movie A Star is Born. I’ll teach you the chords, strumming pattern, progressions, and demonstrate a few ways to simplify (and likewise, spice up!) some of the sequences you’ll be playing. If you enjoyed this lesson, check out my others for songs from A Star is Born. Good luck!
Video timestamps:
- 0:00 Lesson preview & agenda
- 1:45 Chords shapes needed
- 4:53 Chord progressions
- 7:04 Strumming patterns
- 11:18 Chorus: strum & timing
- 14:05 Chorus: advanced voicings
- 16:23 Putting it all together
- 18:03 Farewell & thanks
Lyrics w/ chords
VERSE
Am F
That Arizona sky... burning in your eyes
C G
You look at me and, babe... I wanna catch on fire
Am F
It’s buried in my soul... like California gold
C G
You found the light in me that I couldn’t find
PRE-CHORUS
F C
So when I'm all choked up and I can't find the words
Am G
Every time we say goodbye, baby it hurts
CHORUS
F G Am F G C
When the sun goes down... and the band won't play
F G C
I'll always remember us this way
VERSE #2
Am F
Lovers in the night... poets trying to write
C G
We don't know how to rhyme, but damn we try
Am F
But all I really know... you're where I wanna go
C G
The part of me that's you will never die
PRE-CHORUS
F C
So when I'm all choked up, and I can't find the words
Am G
Every time we say goodbye, baby it hurts
CHORUS
F G Am F G C
When the sun goes down... and the band won't play
F G Bb
I'll always remember us this way... whoa yeah,
BRIDGE
F
I don't wanna be just a memory, baby, yeah
C Bb F G
Oooh, ooooh.... Oooh, ooooh.... Oooh, ooooh.... ohhhh----
PRE-CHORUS
F C
So when I'm all choked up, and I can't find the words
Am G
Every time we say goodbye, baby it hurts
CHORUS
F G Am F G C
When the sun goes down... and the band won't play
F G Am
I'll always remember us..... this way, whoa yeah
OUTRO
F G Am
When you look at me
F G C
And the whole world fades
F G (no chord) F Bb F C
I'll always remember us............. this way-----..... ohhhhhh
Chords used
Here’s the chord shapes you’ll need for this song, shown in their standard positions. The Bb (B-flat) is a bit tricky, but keep on reading and I’ll show you some tips.
E –––0––––0––––1––––3––– E ––––– E ––6––
B –––1––––1––––1––––0––– B ––3–– B ––6––
G –––0––––2––––2––––0––– G ––3–– G ––7––
D –––2––––2––––3––––0––– D ––3–– or D ––8––
A –––3––––0––––3––––2––– A ––1–– A ––8––
E –––––––––––––1––––3––– E ––––– E ––6––
C Am F G Bb Bb
Here are some creative voicings for these chords, some of which are easier than their normal counterparts above. For the F and Bb, for example, you can get by just fine by only playing the middle 4 of the strings (instead of all 6, which is tougher):
4 string voicings: 3 string voicings:
E ––––––––––––––– E –––––––––––––––
B –––1–––3–––6––– B –––1–––3–––6–––
G –––2–––4–––7––– G –––2–––4–––7–––
D –––3–––5–––8––– D –––3–––5–––8–––
A –––3–––5–––8––– A –––––––––––––––
E ––––––––––––––– E –––––––––––––––
F G Bb F G Bb
Chord progressions
Big picture, here’s the progressions you’ll be playing. For each chord listed below (as well as each “/”), you’ll be playing the strumming pattern once. The “/” character means to repeat the prior chord for one measure.
Verse: Am / F / C / G / x2
Pre-chorus: F / C / Am / G / x1
Chorus: F (G) Am F (G) C F G C / x1
Bridge: Bb / F / C / Bb / F / G / x1
Strumming pattern
For the verse and pre-chorus sections, reference any of the following strumming patterns (based on your ability and preference when it comes to dynamics & volume).
Simple strum:
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + D = down strum
D D
Intermediate strum:
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + D = down strum
D D D D > = accented strum
> >
Full strum:
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + D = down strum
D D D D U U = up strum
> > > = accented strum
Chorus strumming
There’s one part of the song that deviates from the main strumming pattern – which is the very distinctive chorus. Quite simply, you’ll only want to do downstrums on the following beats:
"....Sun goes down.........band won't play..."
E –––1–––––3––0––––––––––––––1–––––3––0––––(3)–––––––
B –––1–––––0––1––––––––––––––1–––––0––1––––––––––––––
G –––2–––––0––2––––––––––––––2–––––0––0––––––––––––––
D –––3–––––0––2––––––––––––––3–––––0––2––––––––––––––
A –––3–––––2––0––––––––––––––3–––––2––3––––––––––––––
E –––1–––––3–––––––––––––––––1–––––3–––––––––––––––––
F G Am F G C
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
With the chorus, you can also get creative. For example, I like to play these voicings on the “When the sun goes down…” part of the song.
"....Sun goes down.........band won't play..."
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ––10–––––8––5––––––––––––––1–––––3––5–––––8––––––––
G ––10–––––7––5––––––––––––––2–––––4––5––––––––––––––
D ––10–––––9––7––––––––––––––3–––––5––5––––––––––––––
A –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
F G Am F G C
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Thanks!
If you liked this, check out out my other lessons for songs from A Star is Born:
Shallow
Guitar lesson:
Play-along cover (full song):
Maybe It’s Time
Guitar lesson:
Play-along cover (full song):
Once more, thanks for reading & watching! I hope are these lessons help take you wherever you want to go.
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