Boulevard of Broken Dreams was a slower track that featured on the hit album from Green Day, American Idiot. This song became widely popular amongst guitarists thanks to its strong riff that goes well with the hardcore drum backing. In this guide we will be learning the song without a capo so you can play it on your guitar. The song is more suited for intermediate players, so if you are a beginner you may want to find an alternative track. Below is a video tutorial for you to watch to see how it’s done in real time, although this guide will give you everything you need without it.
Boulevard of Broken Dreams Chords
Let’s start out with the chords. We aren’t using a capo here but these are the original chords from the track that you hear on the album. It won’t sound exactly like the original unless you place a capo on the first fret. You can still achieve a similar sound without a capo though, or transpose these chords if you want to. You will be using E minor, G major, D major, A major, C major and E major7 to recreate the track. There are no barre chords to trip you up, although the chords are more advanced which is why we’re not recommending this song for beginners.
Boulevard of Broken Dreams Strumming Pattern
To go along with the more advanced chords is the slightly more stylized strumming pattern. The rhythm changes up a few times in the song and you have to change your pattern to suit this. The strumming pattern goes like this DD-DU-DD-DU-DD-DU-DUDDUD. To get used to playing this strumming pattern, take each of the chords we have mentioned above and practice it until you have it nailed. You can also listen to the original song off the American Idiot album to get a feeling of it or watch the video tutorial we included above.
Boulevard of Broken Dreams Chords with Lyrics
Now that you have all of the parts of the song in terms of chords and strumming you can put them together to play the entire song. Below are the full lyrics along with the chords you need to play with the words to achieve the sound of Green Day. Happy playing.
Intro
Em G D A
Em G D A
Verse 1
Em G
I walk a lonely road
D A Em
The only one that I have ever known
G
Don’t know where it goes
D A Em
But it’s home to me and I walk alone
Instrumental: G D A
Em G
I walk this empty street
D A Em
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
G
Where the city sleeps
D A Em
And I’m the only one and I walk alone
G D A Em
I walk alone, I walk alone
G D A
I walk alone, I walk a…
Chorus
C G D Em
My shadow’s the only one that walks beside me
C G D Em
My shallow heart’s the only thing that’s beating
C G D Em
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
C G E7
Till then I walk alone
Interlude
Em G D A
Ahhah, Ah-hah, Ahh-ahh, Aaahh-
Em G D A
Ah-hah, Ahh-ah, Ahh-ahh, Aaahh-
Verse 2
Em G
I’m walking down the line
D A Em
That divides me somewhere in my mind
G
On the border line
D A Em
Of the edge and where I walk alone
Instrumental: G D A
Em G
Read between the lines
D A Em
What’s fucked up and everything’s alright
G
Check my vital signs
D A Em
To know I’m still alive and I walk alone
G D A Em
I walk alone, I walk alone
G D A
I walk alone, I walk a…
Chorus
C G D Em
My shadow’s the only one that walks beside me
C G D Em
My shallow heart’s the only thing that’s beating
C G D Em
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
C G E7
Till then I walk alone
Interlude
Em G D A
Ahhah, Ah-hah, Ahh-ahh, Aaahh-
Em G D A
Ah-hah, Ahh-ah, Ahh-ahh, Aaahh-
A
I walk alone, I walk a…
Instrumental
C G D Em 3x
C G B
Verse 3
Em G
I walk this empty street
D A Em
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
G
Where the city sleeps
D A
And I’m the only one and I walk a…
Chorus
C G D Em
My shadow’s the only one that walks beside me
C G D Em
My shallow heart’s the only thing that’s beating
C G D Em
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
C G E7
Till then I walk alone
Outro
Em G D A x2
Conclusion
Even though this version of the Green Day classic is for intermediate players, we have other easy Green Day songs on guitar available here on your website for you to play. This gives you a choice of songs that are suitable for more novice players if you found Boulevard of Broken Dreams a bit on the difficult side. If rock music is your style we also have other guides from this genre that give you songs from easy to hard levels which you can learn from home. Happy browsing and we hope you find something you enjoy right here to learn to play today. There’s so much choice that we’re sure you’ll find something you will love.