How to Play Starting Over – Chords & Lyrics!

Chris Stapleton’s new album was released a bit over 2 weeks ago, and the title track, Starting Over, is guaranteed to be a big hit for him. The lyrics are reflective and hopeful, and the chords are simple enough for a beginner to pick up. Today I’ll be teaching you how to play Starting Over. We will review a video lesson, look at some chord diagrams, and then put it all together with some lyrics.

Get Your Capo Out!

Starting Over is in the key of Bb which may have beginners thinking, “Aw man, it’s going to require bar chords?” Good news for you! Mr. Stapleton uses a capo at the third fret of the guitar for this song which changes the tuning from E Standard tuning to G standard tuning.

Therefore, with a capo installed at the 3rd fret, Starting Over is played like make country songs using chord shapes from the key of G. These will be familiar chord shapes for beginner guitarists since no bar chords are required!

Please also watch our YouTube video below! It maps out the song, and once you read this post, you can go straight to the video to practice! Also, if you’d like to purchase a copy of the sheet music that I made for this lesson, you can click here: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/21943417! It includes guitar tablature, chords, and lyrics! Anytime you purchase sheet music, you’re supporting what we do here at The Smelly Tele.

How to Play the Chords for Starting Over

Nashville Numbers

What’s great about learning how to play Starting Over is that it follows one of the most standard chord progressions in country music. Remember this progression! I can’t stress enough how pivotal it is to recognize this pattern in the music you’re learning. The intro follows a 1-4 progression, and the verses follow a 1-4-5-4 progression. Remember 1-4-5! It will also show up as 1-5-4!

When you get to the chorus, it changes to a 6-5-1, 4-5-1 pattern. If you’re new to the Nashville numbering system, have no fear. It’s a lot simpler than you think. To determine what the chords are you just need to know what key you’re playing in. In today’s example, we’re going to use the key of G since this matches the chord shapes we are using today.

To figure out what chords each number represents, you need to assign a number to each note of the G-major scale. So the first note of the G major scale is G, 2nd note is A, 3rd is B, 4th is C, 5th is D, 6th is E, 7th is F#, and the 8th is the octave G. By this logic the 1 chord is the G chord. The 4 chord is a C chord, and the 5 chord is a D chord. When you get to the chorus, you’ll throw in the 6 chord, or an Em. And at the very end of the song, we add a 2 chord to the bridge or an Am.

Chord Diagrams

Check out the chord diagrams below! Notice the fingering for the G and the C5 chords. You will want to play the root note and the third with your 2nd and 3rd fingers. This will free up your first finger to hammer on the C note (or the 1st fret of your B string). Also notice how that C5 chord includes your 4th finger on the 3rd fret. This note give the song it’s continuous chimey sound during the intro and verses!

The C5 chord in this song is unique because it also includes a major 7 (the open B note). This adds an element of jazz to the song where most pop or country tunes will use the flat 7th note. I love when singers and songwriters mix in this touch of jazz, especially in country music. It makes these songs stand out from the pack.

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Lyrics!

Now that you’ve got the chords down, let’s start singing. Note, I’ll be using the chord shape names (G, C, D, etc) instead of the actual chord names (Bb, Eb, F, etc) when the capo is at the 3rd fret. Rather than bog you down with transposing the chords from Bb to G, I want to make this as easy as possible for you. Let’s face it. You aren’t here to learn how to transpose. You’re here to learn how to play guitar.

But If You Want to Do the Hard Work…

That said if you want to transpose go right ahead! You can print the lyrics and chords and transpose them to Bb so you have the correct chord names. Knowing the names of the chords is important if you’re going to play with a band, so this is a useful skill when communicating with other musicians. If you ask the band to play a G chord and you play a Bb chord with the capo on, the band is going to look at you funny. I’ve done this many times. It’s not hilarious when it happens. Womp, womp.

Chords & Lyrics

G……………………………………………………………..

Well the road rolls out like a welcome mat

C5……………………………………………………….

To a better place than the one we’re at

D……………………………………….

And I ain’t got no kinda plan

C………………………………………………………..

But I’ve had all of this town I can stand

G……………………………………………….

And I got friends out on the coast

C5………………………………………………………………….

We can jump in the water and see what floats

D…………………………………………………

We’ve been saving for a rainy day

C…………………………………………………………

Let’s beat the storm and be on our way

Em………D………….G…

It don’t matter to me

……………………C………………D……………G

Wherever we are is where I wanna be

……….Em………….D………………G…

And, honey, for once in our life

…………………….C………………..D………..G

Let’s take our chances and roll the dice

D……………………………………

I can be your lucky penny

C……………………………………………

You can be my four-leaf clover

……………G……………..C5……………..G……………..C5

Starting over

G……………………………………………

This might not be an easy time

C5………………………………………………………..

There’s rivers to cross and hills to climb

D…………………………………………..

Some days we might fall apart

C……………………………………………………………..

And some nights might feel cold and dark

G………………………………………………….

When nobody wins afraid of losing

C5……………………………………………………………………….

And the hard roads are the ones worth choosing

D…………………………………………………..

Some day we’ll look back and smile

C…………………………………………………

And know it was worth every mile

Em………D………….G…

It don’t matter to me

……………………C………………D……………G

Wherever we are is where I wanna be

……….Em………….D………………G…

And, honey, for once in our life

…………………….C………………..D………..G

Let’s take our chances and roll the dice

D……………………………………

I can be your lucky penny

C……………………………………………

You can be my four-leaf clover

……………G

Starting over

C5……………..

Starting over

Am…..Em…..G…..

Am…..Em…..D…..

Em……..D……………G

It don’t matter to me

……………………C……………….D………….G

Wherever we are is where I wanna be

……..Em……………D……………..G

And, honey, for once in our life

…………………….C………………..D………..G

Let’s take our chances and roll the dice

D……………………………………

I can be your lucky penny

C……………………………………………

You can be my four-leaf clover

G………………..

Starting over

C5……………..

Starting over

G….

Ooh

C5…

Ooh

That’s IT!

You’ve just learned how to play Starting Over! Now you’re ready to play this tune at your next dinner party! Or you can play it in your bedroom. I won’t judge.

If you enjoyed today’s lesson, check out some of our other country lessons! If you’re a beginner looking for more simple chords, try Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show or Willin’ by Little Feat! These simple songs are great to learn now that you’ve mastered Starting Over.

If you’re an intermediate to advanced player, how about trying Can’t You See by The Marshall Tucker Band or Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line by Waylon Jennings! And if you’re a Chris Stapleton fan, how about learning to play You Should Probably Leave?

And if you liked the sound of the guitar I used in the video, check out our full review on the Martin Custom D. As a bonus, you can check out our review of the LR Baggs Anthem pickup installed in the Martin.

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And if you struggled with any part of this lesson, reach out and let me know! I’d be happy to help you work through one part of the song or another!