“Bad Moon Rising” is a Creedence Clearwater Revival staple and one of the most fun three-chord songs you can learn. The whole song cycles through just D, A, and G — three open chords every beginner needs in their vocabulary — over a driving, easy- to-feel rhythm. If you can play those three chords cleanly, you can play this whole song.
That said, the verse moves quickly between A and G, which is a sneaky little challenge for new guitarists and a perfect excuse to start exploring barre chords. More on that below. This is the same arrangement I teach in my 30 Day Guitar Chord Fluency course. Let’s dive in!
The Chords You’ll Need
For the verse
Chord Chart
Intro | D | A G | D | D | Verse 1 D A G D I see the bad moon a-rising D A G D I see trouble on the way D A G D I see earthquakes and lightning D A G D I see bad times today Chorus G Don't go around tonight D Well, it's bound to take your life A G D There's a bad moon on the rise Verse 2 D A G D I hear hurricanes a-blowing D A G D I know the end is coming soon D A G D I fear rivers overflowing D A G D I hear the voice of rage and ruin Chorus G Don't go around tonight D Well, it's bound to take your life A G D There's a bad moon on the rise Solo | D | A G | D | D | | D | A G | D | D | | G | G | D | D | | A | G | D | D | Verse 3 D A G D Hope you got your things together D A G D Hope you are quite prepared to die D A G D Looks like we're in for nasty weather D A G D One eye is taken for an eye Chorus G Well, don't go around tonight D Well, it's bound to take your life A G D There's a bad moon on the rise G Don't go around tonight D Well, it's bound to take your life A G D There's a bad moon on the rise
About the quick A → G change
The verse moves between A and G in just one beat each (“…the bad moon a-rising”), and
that fast transition is the trickiest part of the song for most beginners. The good
news is “Bad Moon Rising” is a perfect song to start practicing barre chords —
specifically the E-major barre shape. Play it at the 5th fret for an A major chord,
then slide the entire shape down two frets to the 3rd position for a G major chord.
Same shape, same fingers, just shifted. Once you can move that shape cleanly, this
song’s quick A-to-G change becomes effortless. We cover the E-major barre shape and
its movable positions in Module 4 of the course.
Practice Tips
- Loop the D → A → G → D progression on its own until the changes feel automatic. That single line is essentially the whole song.
- Pay extra attention to the A-to-G transition — it happens fast, on adjacent beats. Practice that two-chord move on its own at slow tempo before trying it in time with the song.
- When you’re ready to step things up, swap the open A and G for their barre chord versions (E-shape at the 5th fret for A, 3rd fret for G). Same shape, just slide between positions. It’s the cleanest, most efficient way to play the verse and a great introduction to movable shapes.
- The strumming is steady and driving — closer to a country shuffle than a rock beat. A consistent down-up motion will carry the song’s energy even before your chord changes are perfect.