Hello! Below you'll find my "Karma Police" chords & lyrics chart as well as a tutorial video on how to play the piano accompaniment.
This song by Radiohead has an elegant and iconic piano part. I go into all the little details in the video.
Enjoy!
Karma Police Piano Tutorial
Here's a piano tutorial video for Karma Police:
Karma Police Chords & Lyrics
[Intro]
| Am D/F# | Em G | Am F | Em G |
| Am D | G D/F# Cmaj7 Bm | Am | Bm D |
| Am D/F# | Em G | Am F | Em G |
| Am D | G D/F# Cmaj7 Bm | Am | Bm D |
[Verse 1]
Am D/F# Em G Am
Karma police, arrest this man
F Em G Am
Am D/F# Em G Am
Karma police, arrest this man
F Em G Am
He talks in maths, he buzzes like a fridge
D G D/F# Cmaj7 Bm Am Bm D
He's like a detuned ra - di - o
D G D/F# Cmaj7 Bm Am Bm D
He's like a detuned ra - di - o
[Verse 2]
Am D/F# Em G Am
Karma police, arrest this girl
F Em G Am
Her Hitler hairdo is making me feel ill
D G D/F# Cmaj7 Bm Am Bm D
And we have crashed her par - ty - y
Am D/F# Em G Am
Karma police, arrest this girl
F Em G Am
Her Hitler hairdo is making me feel ill
D G D/F# Cmaj7 Bm Am Bm D
And we have crashed her par - ty - y
[Chorus]
C D G F#7
This is what you'll get
C D G F#7
This is what you'll get
C D G
This is what you'll get
Bm/F# C Bm D
When you mess with us
C D G F#7
This is what you'll get
C D G F#7
This is what you'll get
C D G
This is what you'll get
Bm/F# C Bm D
When you mess with us
[Verse 3]
Am D/F# Em G Am
Karma police, I've given all I can
F Em G Am
It's not enough, I've given all I can
D G D/F# Cmaj7 Bm Am Bm D
But we're still on the pay - ro - oll
Am D/F# Em G Am
Karma police, I've given all I can
F Em G Am
It's not enough, I've given all I can
D G D/F# Cmaj7 Bm Am Bm D
But we're still on the pay - ro - oll
[Chorus]
C D G F#7
This is what you'll get
C D G F#7
This is what you'll get
C D G
This is what you'll get
Bm/F# C Bm D
When you mess with us
This is what you'll get
C D G F#7
This is what you'll get
C D G
This is what you'll get
Bm/F# C Bm D
When you mess with us
[Bridge]
Bm D G
For a minute there
D G D Eadd9
I lost myself, I lost myself
Bm D G
Phew, for a minute there
D G D Eadd9
I lost myself, I lost myself
Bm D G
For a minute there
D G D Eadd9
I lost myself, I lost myself
Bm D G
Phew, for a minute there
D G D Eadd9
I lost myself, I lost myself
| Bm D | G D | G D | Eadd9 |
Bm D G
For a minute there
D G D Eadd9
I lost myself, I lost myself
Bm D G
Phew, for a minute there
D G D Eadd9
I lost myself, I lost myself
For a minute there
D G D Eadd9
I lost myself, I lost myself
Bm D G
Phew, for a minute there
D G D Eadd9
I lost myself, I lost myself
[Outro]
| Bm D | G D | G D | Eadd9 | X2
| Bm |
| Bm D | G D | G D | Eadd9 | X2
| Bm |
This document is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
This chord chart is here only to support online learning. We recommend buying official transcripts from a licensed and reputable publisher.
Karma Police Piano Tips
1. Take It Slow: It's counterintuitive, but the quickest way to get comfortable and sound great playing a song is to practice it very slowly at first. Steady rhythm and counting are crucial to sounding like a pro, so let yourself get used to feeling the beat at a slow, easy tempo. Once you can nail "Karma Police" slowly, *gradually* speed it up. You'll sound much better than if you jumped in at full speed!
2. Use The Pedal Wisely: Utilize the sustain pedal to connect the chords smoothly, timing your lifts with the arrival of a new chord. For help with sustain pedal timing, check out this video.
3. Simplify if need be: "Karma Police" still sounds great even if you simply hold out the chords and ignore most of the rhythm patterns and extra details in the tutorial video. Feel free to keep it simple, especially if you sing while playing. As you get comfortable, you can always add the fancy stuff later.
