Riptide
Vance Joy
I was scared of dentists and the dark
I was scared of pretty girls and starting conversations
Oh, all my friends are turning green
You're the magician's assistant in their dream
Ah-ooh-ooh-ooh, ah-ahh-ah-ah
And they come unstuck
Lady, running down to the riptide
Taken away to the dark side
I wanna be your left-hand man
I love you when you're singing that song
And I got a lump in my throat
'Cause you're gonna sing the words wrong
There's this movie that I think you'll like
This guy decides to quit his job and heads to New York City
This cowboy's running from himself
And she's been living on the highest shelf
Ah-ooh-ooh-ooh, ah-ahh-oh
And they come unstuck
Lady, running down to the riptide
Taken away to the dark side
I wanna be your left-hand man
I love you when you're singing that song
And I got a lump in my throat
'Cause you're gonna sing the words wrong
I just wanna, I just wanna know
If you're gonna, if you're gonna stay
I just gotta, I just gotta know
I can't have it, I can't have it any other way
I swear she's destined for the screen
Closest thing to Michelle Pfeiffer that you've ever seen, oh
Lady, running down to the riptide
Taken away to the dark side
I wanna be your left-hand man
I love you when you're singing that song
And I got a lump in my throat
'Cause you're gonna sing the words wrong
Oh lady, running down to the riptide
Taken away to the dark side
I wanna be your left-hand man
I love you when you're singing that song
And I got a lump in my throat
'Cause you're gonna sing the words wrong
Oh lady, running down to the riptide
Taken away to the dark side
I wanna be your left-hand man
I love you when you're singing that song
And I got a lump in my throat
'Cause you're gonna sing the words wrong
Yeah, I got a lump in my throat
'Cause you're gonna sing the words wrong
Tap any line to jump
How to play Riptide by Vance Joy on guitar
Riptide is a great beginner song because it has a bright, catchy feel and a steady groove that makes you sound good quickly. You can focus on keeping the rhythm flowing and letting the changes carry the song, which makes it fun to play along with right away.
The chart mixes open shapes and barre shapes, so you will feel both easy grips and a few tougher stretches. The opening move goes C# - A - G# - C#, and that jump back to C# is the one to watch so your timing stays even and the sound does not break up.
Start by practicing the chord changes slowly, especially C# to A and G# back to C#. Once those feel smooth, add a steady strum and keep the motion relaxed. Then play through the full progression at a slower pace before bringing it up to the song's tempo.
Use the play-along above to follow each chord change in time with the music, or learn the shapes first with the chord diagrams below.
Looking for more? Browse the full guitar song library or explore chord diagrams.
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