Hey There Delilah Chords: Plain White T

"Hey There Delilah" by Plain White T's is the song that proves you don't need many chords to write a hit. The verse uses two chords: D and F#m. The chorus adds Bm and G. The whole song fits inside four chords, and the fingerpicking pattern is one of the most welcoming for beginners learning to fingerpick.

Released in 2006, written by Tom Higgenson. The song is in D major and uses no capo.

The Chords

• D major (open)
• F#m (the easy 4-finger version is fine; barre version is fine too)
• Bm (the easy 4-string version is fine)
• G major (open)
• A major (open)
• Em (open, used briefly)

The verse cycles between D and F#m. Just those two chords for the entire verse, every two bars. The chorus adds Bm and G with a quick A leading back into the verse.

The Fingerpicking Pattern

The original uses a Travis-picking pattern: thumb plays the bass note on beats 1 and 3, fingers play the higher strings in between. For the D chord:

• Beat 1: thumb on the 4th string (D, the bass)
• Beat 1.5: index finger on the 3rd string
• Beat 2: middle finger on the 2nd string
• Beat 2.5: index finger on the 3rd string
• Beat 3: thumb on the 4th string again
• Continue similarly for beats 3.5, 4, 4.5

The pattern works for any chord. For F#m, the bass note moves to the 6th string. For Bm, the bass note is on the 5th string. The fingers above stay roughly the same.

Common Mistakes

• Bass note too loud. The thumb should be quieter than your fingers, not louder. The fingerpicking should sound balanced, not bass-heavy.
• Tempo rushing. The song is around 100 BPM. Use a metronome. The 16th-note picking pattern is easy to rush when you're learning.
• F#m muting too many strings. If your easy F#m is muting the 5th or 6th strings, the bass note for that chord drops out. Use the barre version if needed.

The Two-Chord Verse

The verse alternates D and F#m for the entire stretch. This works because the two chords share two notes (F sharp and A) and the change between them feels natural. The song's intimacy comes from that small chord palette: with only two chords moving back and forth, there's nothing to distract from the lyric.

Songs With Similar Patterns

• "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton uses Travis picking through similar chords.
• "The Boxer" by Simon & Garfunkel uses fingerpicking on D and Bm.
• "Dust in the Wind" uses Travis picking with descending bass.

FAQ: Hey There Delilah Questions

Do I need to fingerpick "Hey There Delilah"?

The original uses fingerpicking. You can strum it instead and the song still works, but the fingerpicking is what gives the song its character.

What's the easiest fingerpicking pattern for this song?

A simplified Travis pattern: thumb on bass on beat 1, then ring-middle-index across the 1st, 2nd, 3rd strings on beats 2-3-4. Repeat for each chord.

What key is "Hey There Delilah" in?

D major. No capo needed.

Can I play this with the easy Bm and F#m?

Yes. The 4-string easy versions of both chords sound fine in this song. The bass notes drop out compared to the barre versions, but the upper voicings carry the chord.

How long does it take to learn?

If you can already fingerpick at all, about a week. If you've never fingerpicked, give yourself a month to build the right-hand independence.