Vance Joy - Riptide Chords

[Intro]
Em  D   G (2x)

[Verse]
Em           D             G
I was scared of dentists and the dark
Em          D              G
I was scared of pretty girls and starting conversations
Em           D              G
Oh, all my friends are turning green
Em          D              G
You're the magician's assistant in their dreams
Em     D    G
uhoo oooo  oooo,
Em    D
uhoo  oo,
    G*
and they come unstuck

[Chorus]
Em           D       G
Lady, running down to the riptide
                  Em
Taken away to the dark side
  D             G
I wanna be your left hand man
   Em          D                     G
I love you when you're singing that song and
                    Em
I got a lump in my throat cause
    D                   G
You're gonna sing the words wrong

[Verse]
 Em              D                G
There's this movie that I think you'll like
  Em             D                G
This guy decides to quit his job and heads to New York City
  Em            D      G
This cowboy's running from himself
 Em               D            G
And she's been living on the highest shelf
Em     D    G
uhoo oooo  oooo,
Em    D
uhoo  oo,
 G*
and they come unstuck

[Chorus]
  Em         D       G
Lady, running down to the riptide
                 Em
Taken away to the dark side
  D              G
I wanna be your left hand man
   Em            D                   G
I love you when you're singing that song and
                    Em
I got a lump in my throat cause
    D                   G
You're gonna sing the words wrong

[Verse]
Em                             D
I just wanna, I just wanna know
Em                                  Am
If you're gonna, if you're gonna stay
Em                             D
I just gotta, I just gotta know
Em                              Am             G*
I can't have it, I can't have it any other way
Em*             D*           G*
I swear she's destined for the screen
Em*                 D*             G*                 G*
Closest thing to Michelle Pfeiffer that you've ever seen, oh

[Chorus] 
 Em               D       G
Lady, running down to the riptide
                  Em
Taken away to the dark side
  D              G
I wanna be your left hand man
   Em                  D           G
I love you when you're singing that song and
                    Em
I got a lump in my throat cause
      D                 G
You're gonna sing the words wrong






How to play "Riptide" on guitar

Introduction "Riptide" by Vance Joy: It's a very simple intro but very
catchy, based on this repeating sequence of chords: Em, D, G.
The rhythm makes all the difference to encapsulate this joyful
indie feel. Start with the Em chord and then continue with the
D and G chords in that order. Use a down-up strumming pattern
steadily, emphasizing the downward hits at first to establish
and drive the rhythm forward.

Intro: Repeat this chord progression twice, playing light and
rhythmic strumming.

Verse: The verse flows back to the Em, D, G repeating chord
progression that keeps the song moving at a steady pace.
Start with Em strumming in a down-up manner, loose but rhythmic.
Transition smoothly to D and G, making sure each chord rings out
clearly. The verse is like a conversation, so pick lightly throughout
and really let the vocal line shine. With the line "and they come 
unstuck," slightly accent the G chord before lifting into the chorus.

Chorus: This is where you peak in your song, your excitement as a
guitarist, with a bouncy strumming pattern and the same chord
progression. Play first Em, then D and G, strumming more vigorously
than during the verse. Make sure to keep that rhythm of going down-up
constant, which will correspond to the fast tempo of the song. The lyrics
in the chorus are very catchy and repetitive, so play the strumming
pattern with the feel of the vocals, most especially on the line,
"I got a lump in my throat cause you're gonna sing the words wrong."

Bridge: This will change the chord progression of the song just a bit.
Start off with Em, then to D. Steadily strum throughout the
"I just wanna, I just wanna know" section of the song. This part sounds
good with an Am chord and doesn't take away from the song at all.
Shortly return to the other chords. On "Closest thing to Michelle Pfeiffer
that you've ever seen," play that G chord real hard to lead into the
final chorus.

Final Chorus: The final chorus simply goes back to repeating the
familiar Em, D, G chord progression with the same exuberant energy
as before. Keep strumming the same pattern throughout but a little
dynamic interest to really hit it exciting each time you play through
the chorus. Towards the end of the song, keep the energy going strong,
and let the chords ring out clearly.

Outro: Do the outro by keeping the Em, D, G progression playing while
slowly lightening up on your strumming until the end of the song. Now
let the final G chord ring out to let it fade naturally as the song finishes.

Common Mistakes
- Overstrumming: The song has a very laidback feel, so try not to strum
too hard. Keep it light and rhythmic.
- Choppy Transitions: Keep transitions smooth between Em, D, and G
for the flow of the song.
- Inconsistent Rhythm: The song heavily depends on rhythm; thus you
need a good down-up strumming pattern to keep the rhythm consistent.

Fun Facts: "Riptide" is the 2013 hit from Vance Joy that took over indie
folk-pop. The catchy melody, straightforward but working chord
progression, and fun lyrics made it a commercial success, and the fact
that it charted internationally and was featured on radio playlists doesn't
hurt either. Vance Joy is an Australian singer-songwriter who exploded
in popularity with the release of "Riptide," one of his most popular songs
to date. This song is a favorite not only among general listeners but also
among musicians because of its harmony between upbeat rhythm
and introspective lyrics.