How to Play Tiny Dancer Chords by Elton John on Guitar

SobiSeptember 7, 2023Last Updated: June 25, 2024

1 5 minutes read

“Tiny Dancer” is a classic rock song by British singer-songwriter Elton John, released in 1971 as a single from his fourth studio album, Madman Across the Water. The song is about a young woman who works as a seamstress for a rock band, and the narrator’s love for her. The song was written by Elton John and his longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin.

If you are a fan of Elton John and want to learn how to play “Tiny Dancer” on guitar, you are in luck. In this article, we will show you some web pages that can help you master the chords and lyrics of this song. Whether you want to play it with a capo, or without a capo, we have got you covered.

Chords and Lyrics

The first thing you need to know is the chords and lyrics of the song. There are different ways to play the same song on guitar, depending on the key, the tuning, and the capo position. You can choose the one that suits your preference and skill level.

[Intro]
   C               F
e|-------0-------------------------|
B|-----1-----3---1-------1-----1---|
G|---0-----------------2-----2-----|
D|-2---------------3---------------| x4
A|-3-------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|
 
[Verse 1]
C           F/C   C      F/C   C                     F/A    G/B
  Blue jean baby,   L.A. lady,   seamstress for the band
C         F/C  C         F/C   C                       F    G
  Pretty eyed,   pirate smile,   you'll marry a music man
F        Em7  Am7               D/F#    Dm7  E7              Am    G7/B
  Ballerina,     you must have seen her,     dancing in the sand
C           F/C   C        F/C     C                    G/D F Em Dm
  Now she's in me,  always with me,  tiny dancer in my hand
 
C   F/C   C   F/C
 
[Verse 2]
C        F/C    C             F/C   C                          F/A    G/B
  Jesus freaks,   out in the street,  handing tickets out for God
C         F/C   C          F/C    C                           F      G
  Turning back,   she just laughs,  the boulevard is not that bad
F       Em7  Am7             D/F#  Dm7/F       E7      Am    G7
  Piano man,    he makes his stand,     in the auditorium
C         F   C               F     C                                    G/D F Em Dm
  Looking on,   she sings the songs,  the words she knows, the tune she hums
 
C   F/C   C   F/C
 
[Bridge]
Ab              Bb
  But oh how it feels so real
Gm               Cm
Lying here, with no one near
Ab                          Bb
Where only you, and you can hear me
             G/B
When I say, "Softly..."
 G/D
"Slowly..."
 
[Chorus]
F        C/E    Dm            Dm  C/E
"Hold me closer Tiny Dancer"
 
   F       C/E       Dm
e|----555------000------5---5---------|
B|----666------555------6---6---------|
G|----555------555------7---7---------|
D|----777------555------7---7---------|
A|-8-------77--------5----5---5---5-7-|
E|------------------------------------|
 
F          C/E               G/A
"Count the headlights on the highway"
 
   F       C/E       G
e|----555------000---3----3----3--|
B|----666------555---3----3----3--|
G|----555------555---0----0----0--|
D|----777------555---0----0----0--|
A|-8-------77--------2----2----2--|
E|-------------------3----3----3--|
 
F       C/E               Dm       Dm  C/E
"Lay me down in sheets of linen"
  F       C/E       Dm
 
e|----555------000------5---5---------|
B|----666------555------6---6---------|
G|----555------555------7---7---------|
D|----777------555------7---7---------|
A|-8-------77--------5----5---5---5-7-|
E|------------------------------------|
 
F          C/E        G/A
"You had a busy day today"
 
   F       C/E       G
e|----555------000---X---X-X--X---X-X--X--|
B|----666------555---8---8-8--8---8-8--8--|
G|----555------555---7---7-7--7---7-7--7--|
D|----777------555---9---9-9--9---9-9--9--|
A|-8-------77--------10--1010-10--1010-10-|
E|----------------------------------------|
 
F        C/E    Dm            Dm  C/E
"Hold me closer Tiny Dancer"
F          C/E               G/A
"Count the headlights on the highway"
F       C/E               Dm       Dm  C/E
"Lay me down in sheets of linen"
F          C/E        G/A   F/A   G/A   F
"You had a busy day today"
 
C   F/C   C   F/C
 
[Verse 1]
C           F/C   C      F/C   C                     F/A    G/B
  Blue jean baby,   L.A. lady,   seamstress for the band
C         F/C  C         F/C   C                       F    G
  Pretty eyed,   pirate smile,   you'll marry a music man
F        Em7  Am7               D/F#    Dm7  E7              Am    G7/B
  Ballerina,     you must have seen her,     dancing in the sand
C           F/C   C        F/C     C                    G/D F Em Dm
  Now she's in me,  always with me,  tiny dancer in my hand
 
C   F/C   C   F/C
 
[Bridge]
Ab              Bb
  But oh how it feels so real
Gm               Cm
Lying here, with no one near
Ab                          Bb
Where only you, and you can hear me
             G/B
When I say, "Softly..."
 G/D
"Slowly..."
 
[Chorus]
F        C/E    Dm            Dm  C/E
"Hold me closer Tiny Dancer"
F          C/E               G/A
"Count the headlights on the highway"
F       C/E               Dm       Dm  C/E
"Lay me down in sheets of linen"
F          C/E        G/A   F/A   G/A   F
"You had a busy day today"
 
F        C/E    Dm            Dm  C/E
"Hold me closer Tiny Dancer"
F          C/E               G/A
"Count the headlights on the highway"
F       C/E               Dm       Dm  C/E
"Lay me down in sheets of linen"
F          C/E        G/A   F/A
"You had a busy day today"
 
[Outro]
C   F/C   C   F/C   C   F/C   C  F/C C

One web page that shows you the chords and lyrics of “Tiny Dancer” with a capo on the third fret is TINY DANCER CHORDS (ver 7) by Elton John @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com. This page also has a video lesson that teaches you how to play the song with strumming patterns and fingerstyle techniques. You can watch the video and follow along with the chords and lyrics on the screen.

Another web page that shows you the chords and lyrics of “Tiny Dancer” without a capo is TINY DANCER CHORDS (ver 2) by Elton John | E-Chords. This page also has a video lesson that teaches you how to play the song exactly like Elton John. You can watch the video and follow along with the chords and lyrics on the screen.

If you want to learn more songs by Elton John, you can check out Elton John – Greatest Hits 1970-2002. This page has the chords and lyrics of all the songs from his greatest hits album, including “Tiny Dancer”. You can also transpose the chords and change the tuning to fit your voice and guitar.

Tips and Tricks

Once you have learned the chords and lyrics of “Tiny Dancer”, you can practice playing it on guitar. Here are some tips and tricks that can help you improve your performance:

Use a capo to adjust the key of the song to match your vocal range. For example, if you find it hard to sing in C major, you can put a capo on the third fret and play in A major instead.
Arpeggiate the chords to create a more melodic sound. You can use different arpeggio patterns to create different effects. For example, you can use an ascending pattern for the intro and verse, and a descending pattern for the bridge and chorus.
Add some embellishments to make your playing more interesting. You can use hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, bends, or palm mutes to spice up your chords. For example, you can hammer-on from A to Asus4 in the chorus, or slide from F to Fmaj7 in the bridge.
Sing along with confidence and emotion. Don’t worry about hitting every note perfectly; just express yourself. Remember, the song is about love and admiration for a tiny dancer.

Conclusion

“Tiny Dancer” is a beautiful and easy song to play on guitar. With some web pages that show you the chords and lyrics, and some tips and tricks that help you practice, you can master this song in no time. So grab your guitar and start playing “Tiny Dancer”!