Don’t Look Back in Anger Chords: Guitar, Piano, Uke & Bass

Few songs from the 90s have stayed as present in jam sessions, campfire singalongs, and beginner guitar lists as Oasis’s “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” whose chord progression is simple enough for a first lesson yet iconic enough to still fill stadiums. We’ll break down the chords for guitar, piano, ukulele, and bass, and show you how the same four-chord core adapts across instruments with minimal changes.

1. Learn the core chords C, G, Am, F on your instrument.
2. Practice the intro pattern: C – F – C – F.
3. Add the verse progression: C G Am E7 F G.
4. Try capo 4 on guitar for easier open chords.
5. Move to piano (triads), ukulele (same shapes), or bass (root notes).

Year released: 1995 ·
Album: (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? ·
Key (original recording): F major (with 455 Hz tuning) ·
Difficulty: Beginner – intermediate ·
Tuning (standard): E A D G B E ·
Capo position (common variant): 4th fret

Nine key facts, one pattern: the same C G Am F progression drives every instrument, with only the voicings and fingerings changing.

What Are the Dont Look Back in Anger Chords for Guitar?

Intro and verse chord shapes

• The intro uses C – F repeated twice (Ultimate Guitar community tab).
• Verse progression: C G Am E7 F G (Ultimate Guitar community tab).
• Chorus: C G Am F (repeat with slight variation) (Ultimate Guitar community tab).

Chorus and bridge chords

• The pre-chorus commonly uses F, Fm6, and C, repeated before resolving into G and E7/G# variants (Ultimate Guitar community tab).
• Several beginner guitar tutorials treat E7/G# or Fm6 as the only non-basic chord shapes that need special attention (Ultimate Guitar community tab).

Chord diagram references

• Ultimate Guitar lists guitar, ukulele, and piano views for the arrangement (Ultimate Guitar community tab).
• Hooktheory has a dedicated theory tab entry for the song, showing its chord/melody analysis is tracked in a music-theory database (Hooktheory music theory database).

How to Play Dont Look Back in Anger on Piano

Right hand melody notes

• Piano chords match guitar: C, G, Am, E, F (Ultimate Guitar community tab).
• Arpeggio patterns are common in cover versions (YouTube guitar tutorial by Andy Crowley).

Left hand chord voicings

• Play triads in root position: C-E-G, G-B-D, A-C-E, E-G#-B, F-A-C.
• No capo needed on piano (Ultimate Guitar community tab).

Simplified one‑hand arrangement

• Play only the right hand with the melody notes and chord tones.
• The same chord names work for both hands.

The implication: Piano players can skip the capo and focus on smooth voice leading. The C major key makes this one of the easiest Oasis songs on keys.

Dont Look Back in Anger Ukulele Chords

Standard G-C-E-A tuning

• Ukulele uses same chord names but different fingerings (YouTube ukulele tutorial by Ukulele Mike).
• C: 0003, G: 0232, Am: 2000, F: 2010 (YouTube ukulele tutorial by Ukulele Mike).

Chord shapes for C, G, Am, F

• Easy for beginners with two‑ or three‑finger shapes.
• The intro uses C and F, then the verse with C, F, Am, G, and E7 (YouTube ukulele tutorial by Ukulele Mike).

Strumming pattern suggestions

• Down-down-down-down-up for the intro (YouTube ukulele tutorial by Ukulele Mike).
• For the verses, try a D DU UDU pattern.

What Capo Position Works Best for Dont Look Back in Anger?

Capo on fret 4 (most common)

• Capo 4 lets you play open chords C G Am F (YouTube guitar tutorial with capo).
• Many tutorials recommend capo 4 for easier voicings (YouTube guitar tutorial with capo).

Capo on fret 2 (alternative)

• Fret 2 works if you want to sing in a slightly lower key.
• You’ll still use open chords but with a different transposition.

No capo – playing in original key

• Without capo, play barre chords in F key.
• The original recording used 455 Hz tuning, slightly sharper than modern A=440 Hz (Wikipedia article on the song).

The catch: Capo 4 is the most practical for beginners because it keeps all chords open and avoids barre shapes. The trade-off is that you lose the original key’s resonance — but for a campfire singalong, that’s a fair swap.

How to Play Dont Look Back in Anger on Bass

Root‑note bass line

• Root notes: C, G, A, E, F (Ultimate Guitar community tab).
• Follow chord changes with quarter notes.

Walking patterns for each chord

• Simple walking patterns: C-D-E, G-A-B, A-B-C, E-F#-G#, F-G-A.
• No complicated fills required for beginner versions (YouTube beginner guitar lesson).

Simplified beginner tab

• Play only the root note on each beat.
• Focus on timing and locking with the kick drum.

What this means: Bass is the easiest instrument for this song because you only need to know five notes. The challenge is not the left hand — it’s staying steady with the strumming.

“The line ‘take that look from off your face’ contains the unusual chord change that distinguishes the arrangement.”

— Reddit discussion on r/oasis (community discussion)

“The song’s harmony is often compared to the Canon in D progression, with the song described as omitting the I and IV in the second bar relative to that pattern.”

— Wikipedia (Wikipedia article)

For a beginner, the biggest takeaway is that the chord progression works across all four instruments with only minor adjustments. The same four chords — C, G, Am, F — form the backbone. E7 and Fm6 add color, but you can skip them on your first playthrough. If you’re new to playing, start with guitar or ukulele using capo 4. For piano, just play the triads. For bass, stick to the roots. The song is a gateway — not a wall.

Frequently asked questions

For more on live music, check out our review of the Tina Turner Bord Gais Musical. If you’re looking to download tutorial videos, see our guide on free YouTube download tools.