Rock

When You Were Young Chords

The Killers Beginner Key of C 4 Chords 3 min read Updated Jul 2026

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Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

F · C · Am · G

When You Were Young Chords – Guitar

The Killers’ anthemic rock song about nostalgia and idealized love. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Driving Rock (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 3rd fret to match the original recording’s key of Eb.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

You sit there in your heartache

Am F

Waiting on some beautiful boy

C G

To save you from your old ways

Am F

You play forgiveness watch it now, here he comes

Verse 2

C G

He doesn’t look a thing like Jesus

Am F

But he talks like a gentleman like you imagined when you were

C G Am F

Young can you feel this?

C G Am F

Young I bet you can

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Verse 3

C G

They say the devil’s water it ain’t so sweet

Am

You don’t have to drink right now

F

But you can dip your feet

C G

Every once in a little while

Am F

You sit there in your heartache

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Bridge

Am F C G

You know the devil’s water it ain’t so sweet

Am F C

You don’t have to drink right now

Am F

But you can dip your feet

C G

Every once in a little while

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Outro

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

Practice tip: The chord progression C, G, Am, F repeats throughout the song, so master that sequence first before adding the lyrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "When You Were Young"?

You need 4 beginner-friendly chords: F, C, Am and G.

Is "When You Were Young" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 4 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "When You Were Young" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "When You Were Young"?

It was written by Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer, Ronnie Vannucci Jr, and released in 2006.

Ftap to play

Ctap to play

Amtap to play

Gtap to play

Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

F · C · Am · G

When You Were Young Chords – Ukulele

The Killers’ anthemic rock song about nostalgia and idealized love. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Driving Rock (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 3rd fret to match the original recording’s key of Eb.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

You sit there in your heartache

Am F

Waiting on some beautiful boy

C G

To save you from your old ways

Am F

You play forgiveness watch it now, here he comes

Verse 2

C G

He doesn’t look a thing like Jesus

Am F

But he talks like a gentleman like you imagined when you were

C G Am F

Young can you feel this?

C G Am F

Young I bet you can

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Verse 3

C G

They say the devil’s water it ain’t so sweet

Am

You don’t have to drink right now

F

But you can dip your feet

C G

Every once in a little while

Am F

You sit there in your heartache

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Bridge

Am F C G

You know the devil’s water it ain’t so sweet

Am F C

You don’t have to drink right now

Am F

But you can dip your feet

C G

Every once in a little while

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Outro

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

Practice tip: The chord progression C, G, Am, F repeats throughout the song, so master that sequence first before adding the lyrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "When You Were Young"?

You need 4 beginner-friendly chords: F, C, Am and G.

Is "When You Were Young" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 4 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "When You Were Young" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "When You Were Young"?

It was written by Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer, Ronnie Vannucci Jr, and released in 2006.

Ftap to play

Ctap to play

Amtap to play

Gtap to play

Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

F · C · Am · G

When You Were Young Chords – Piano

The Killers’ anthemic rock song about nostalgia and idealized love. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Driving Rock (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 3rd fret to match the original recording’s key of Eb.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

You sit there in your heartache

Am F

Waiting on some beautiful boy

C G

To save you from your old ways

Am F

You play forgiveness watch it now, here he comes

Verse 2

C G

He doesn’t look a thing like Jesus

Am F

But he talks like a gentleman like you imagined when you were

C G Am F

Young can you feel this?

C G Am F

Young I bet you can

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Verse 3

C G

They say the devil’s water it ain’t so sweet

Am

You don’t have to drink right now

F

But you can dip your feet

C G

Every once in a little while

Am F

You sit there in your heartache

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Bridge

Am F C G

You know the devil’s water it ain’t so sweet

Am F C

You don’t have to drink right now

Am F

But you can dip your feet

C G

Every once in a little while

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Outro

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

Practice tip: The chord progression C, G, Am, F repeats throughout the song, so master that sequence first before adding the lyrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "When You Were Young"?

You need 4 beginner-friendly chords: F, C, Am and G.

Is "When You Were Young" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 4 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "When You Were Young" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "When You Were Young"?

It was written by Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer, Ronnie Vannucci Jr, and released in 2006.

Ftap to play

Ctap to play

Amtap to play

Gtap to play

Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

F · C · Am · G

When You Were Young Chords – Banjo

The Killers’ anthemic rock song about nostalgia and idealized love. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Driving Rock (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 3rd fret to match the original recording’s key of Eb.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

You sit there in your heartache

Am F

Waiting on some beautiful boy

C G

To save you from your old ways

Am F

You play forgiveness watch it now, here he comes

Verse 2

C G

He doesn’t look a thing like Jesus

Am F

But he talks like a gentleman like you imagined when you were

C G Am F

Young can you feel this?

C G Am F

Young I bet you can

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Verse 3

C G

They say the devil’s water it ain’t so sweet

Am

You don’t have to drink right now

F

But you can dip your feet

C G

Every once in a little while

Am F

You sit there in your heartache

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Bridge

Am F C G

You know the devil’s water it ain’t so sweet

Am F C

You don’t have to drink right now

Am F

But you can dip your feet

C G

Every once in a little while

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Outro

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

Practice tip: The chord progression C, G, Am, F repeats throughout the song, so master that sequence first before adding the lyrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "When You Were Young"?

You need 4 beginner-friendly chords: F, C, Am and G.

Is "When You Were Young" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 4 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "When You Were Young" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "When You Were Young"?

It was written by Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer, Ronnie Vannucci Jr, and released in 2006.

Ftap to play

Ctap to play

Amtap to play

Gtap to play

Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

F · C · Am · G

When You Were Young Chords – Mandolin

The Killers’ anthemic rock song about nostalgia and idealized love. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Driving Rock (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 3rd fret to match the original recording’s key of Eb.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

You sit there in your heartache

Am F

Waiting on some beautiful boy

C G

To save you from your old ways

Am F

You play forgiveness watch it now, here he comes

Verse 2

C G

He doesn’t look a thing like Jesus

Am F

But he talks like a gentleman like you imagined when you were

C G Am F

Young can you feel this?

C G Am F

Young I bet you can

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Verse 3

C G

They say the devil’s water it ain’t so sweet

Am

You don’t have to drink right now

F

But you can dip your feet

C G

Every once in a little while

Am F

You sit there in your heartache

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Bridge

Am F C G

You know the devil’s water it ain’t so sweet

Am F C

You don’t have to drink right now

Am F

But you can dip your feet

C G

Every once in a little while

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Outro

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

Practice tip: The chord progression C, G, Am, F repeats throughout the song, so master that sequence first before adding the lyrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "When You Were Young"?

You need 4 beginner-friendly chords: F, C, Am and G.

Is "When You Were Young" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 4 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "When You Were Young" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "When You Were Young"?

It was written by Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer, Ronnie Vannucci Jr, and released in 2006.

Ftap to play

Ctap to play

Amtap to play

Gtap to play

Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

F · C · Am · G

When You Were Young Chords – Harmonica

The Killers’ anthemic rock song about nostalgia and idealized love. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Driving Rock (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 3rd fret to match the original recording’s key of Eb.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

You sit there in your heartache

Am F

Waiting on some beautiful boy

C G

To save you from your old ways

Am F

You play forgiveness watch it now, here he comes

Verse 2

C G

He doesn’t look a thing like Jesus

Am F

But he talks like a gentleman like you imagined when you were

C G Am F

Young can you feel this?

C G Am F

Young I bet you can

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Verse 3

C G

They say the devil’s water it ain’t so sweet

Am

You don’t have to drink right now

F

But you can dip your feet

C G

Every once in a little while

Am F

You sit there in your heartache

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Bridge

Am F C G

You know the devil’s water it ain’t so sweet

Am F C

You don’t have to drink right now

Am F

But you can dip your feet

C G

Every once in a little while

Chorus

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

C G

And sometimes you close your eyes

Am

And see the place where you used to live

F

When you were young

Outro

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

C G

When you were young

Am F

When you were young

Practice tip: The chord progression C, G, Am, F repeats throughout the song, so master that sequence first before adding the lyrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "When You Were Young"?

You need 4 beginner-friendly chords: F, C, Am and G.

Is "When You Were Young" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 4 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "When You Were Young" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "When You Were Young"?

It was written by Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer, Ronnie Vannucci Jr, and released in 2006.