Alternative

Heart Shaped Box Chords

Nirvana Intermediate Key of A 4 Chords 2 min read

Atap to play

Dtap to play

Ftap to play

Gtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Intermediate

Capo

None

Chords

A · D · F · G

Heart Shaped Box Chords – Guitar

Nirvana’s dark, powerful single from In Utero has a droning, hypnotic quality. The unusual A-to-F movement gives the song its unsettling character.

Grunge Heavy (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↓↓↑

123456

Tip: The verse is softer and more restrained, while the chorus explodes. Use palm muting on the verse strums and open the chords up for the chorus. The A-F shift is key to the Nirvana sound.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

A D F

She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak

A D F

I’ve been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks

A D F

I’ve been drawn into your magnet tar pit trap

A D F

I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black

Chorus

A G A G

Hey! Wait! I got a new com-plaint

A G A G

Forever in debt to your priceless ad-vice

A G A G

Hey! Wait! I got a new com-plaint

A G A G

Forever in debt to your priceless ad-vice

Verse 2

A D F

Meat-eating orchids for-give no one just yet

A D F

Cut myself on angel hair and baby’s breath

A D F

Broken hymen of your highness I’m left black

A D F

Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb right back

Atap to play

Dtap to play

Ftap to play

Gtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Intermediate

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

A · D · F · G

Heart Shaped Box Chords – Ukulele

Nirvana’s dark, powerful single from In Utero has a droning, hypnotic quality. The unusual A-to-F movement gives the song its unsettling character.

Grunge Heavy (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↓↓↑

123456

Tip: The verse is softer and more restrained, while the chorus explodes. Use palm muting on the verse strums and open the chords up for the chorus. The A-F shift is key to the Nirvana sound.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

A D F

She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak

A D F

I’ve been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks

A D F

I’ve been drawn into your magnet tar pit trap

A D F

I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black

Chorus

A G A G

Hey! Wait! I got a new com-plaint

A G A G

Forever in debt to your priceless ad-vice

A G A G

Hey! Wait! I got a new com-plaint

A G A G

Forever in debt to your priceless ad-vice

Verse 2

A D F

Meat-eating orchids for-give no one just yet

A D F

Cut myself on angel hair and baby’s breath

A D F

Broken hymen of your highness I’m left black

A D F

Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb right back

Atap to play

Dtap to play

Ftap to play

Gtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Intermediate

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

A · D · F · G

Heart Shaped Box Chords – Piano

Nirvana’s dark, powerful single from In Utero has a droning, hypnotic quality. The unusual A-to-F movement gives the song its unsettling character.

Grunge Heavy (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↓↓↑

123456

Tip: The verse is softer and more restrained, while the chorus explodes. Use palm muting on the verse strums and open the chords up for the chorus. The A-F shift is key to the Nirvana sound.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

A D F

She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak

A D F

I’ve been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks

A D F

I’ve been drawn into your magnet tar pit trap

A D F

I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black

Chorus

A G A G

Hey! Wait! I got a new com-plaint

A G A G

Forever in debt to your priceless ad-vice

A G A G

Hey! Wait! I got a new com-plaint

A G A G

Forever in debt to your priceless ad-vice

Verse 2

A D F

Meat-eating orchids for-give no one just yet

A D F

Cut myself on angel hair and baby’s breath

A D F

Broken hymen of your highness I’m left black

A D F

Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb right back

Atap to play

Dtap to play

Ftap to play

Gtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Intermediate

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

A · D · F · G

Heart Shaped Box Chords – Banjo

Nirvana’s dark, powerful single from In Utero has a droning, hypnotic quality. The unusual A-to-F movement gives the song its unsettling character.

Grunge Heavy (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↓↓↑

123456

Tip: The verse is softer and more restrained, while the chorus explodes. Use palm muting on the verse strums and open the chords up for the chorus. The A-F shift is key to the Nirvana sound.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

A D F

She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak

A D F

I’ve been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks

A D F

I’ve been drawn into your magnet tar pit trap

A D F

I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black

Chorus

A G A G

Hey! Wait! I got a new com-plaint

A G A G

Forever in debt to your priceless ad-vice

A G A G

Hey! Wait! I got a new com-plaint

A G A G

Forever in debt to your priceless ad-vice

Verse 2

A D F

Meat-eating orchids for-give no one just yet

A D F

Cut myself on angel hair and baby’s breath

A D F

Broken hymen of your highness I’m left black

A D F

Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb right back

Atap to play

Dtap to play

Ftap to play

Gtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Intermediate

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

A · D · F · G

Heart Shaped Box Chords – Mandolin

Nirvana’s dark, powerful single from In Utero has a droning, hypnotic quality. The unusual A-to-F movement gives the song its unsettling character.

Grunge Heavy (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↓↓↑

123456

Tip: The verse is softer and more restrained, while the chorus explodes. Use palm muting on the verse strums and open the chords up for the chorus. The A-F shift is key to the Nirvana sound.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

A D F

She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak

A D F

I’ve been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks

A D F

I’ve been drawn into your magnet tar pit trap

A D F

I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black

Chorus

A G A G

Hey! Wait! I got a new com-plaint

A G A G

Forever in debt to your priceless ad-vice

A G A G

Hey! Wait! I got a new com-plaint

A G A G

Forever in debt to your priceless ad-vice

Verse 2

A D F

Meat-eating orchids for-give no one just yet

A D F

Cut myself on angel hair and baby’s breath

A D F

Broken hymen of your highness I’m left black

A D F

Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb right back

Atap to play

Dtap to play

Ftap to play

Gtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Intermediate

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

A · D · F · G

Heart Shaped Box Chords – Harmonica

Nirvana’s dark, powerful single from In Utero has a droning, hypnotic quality. The unusual A-to-F movement gives the song its unsettling character.

Grunge Heavy (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↓↓↑

123456

Tip: The verse is softer and more restrained, while the chorus explodes. Use palm muting on the verse strums and open the chords up for the chorus. The A-F shift is key to the Nirvana sound.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

A D F

She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak

A D F

I’ve been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks

A D F

I’ve been drawn into your magnet tar pit trap

A D F

I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black

Chorus

A G A G

Hey! Wait! I got a new com-plaint

A G A G

Forever in debt to your priceless ad-vice

A G A G

Hey! Wait! I got a new com-plaint

A G A G

Forever in debt to your priceless ad-vice

Verse 2

A D F

Meat-eating orchids for-give no one just yet

A D F

Cut myself on angel hair and baby’s breath

A D F

Broken hymen of your highness I’m left black

A D F

Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb right back