“Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” is Green Day’s 1997 acoustic ballad from Nimrod — and one of the most universally recognizable graduation, goodbye, and end-of-an-era songs in pop music. It’s a perfect entry into G major for beginners: just five open chords, no barres, and a chord progression that’s essentially the same across the entire song.
The song’s signature sound comes from the ringing Cadd9 chord, with the high strings letting open notes shimmer through every chord change. I’ve also included the iconic fingerpicked tab from the original recording. It’s completely optional, but it’s the part most people associate with the song.
The Chords You’ll Need
Main chords
Chord Chart
Intro | G | Cadd9 D | | G | Cadd9 D | Fingerpicked Intro (optional) e|---------| B|---------| G|-----0---| D|-------0-| A|---------| E|-3-3-----| Verse 1 G Cadd9 D Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road G Cadd9 D Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go Em D C G So make the best of this test and don't ask why Em D C G It's not a question but a lesson learned in time Chorus 1 Em G Em G It's something unpredictable but in the end it's right Em D G I hope you had the time of your life Interlude 1 |(G) | Cadd9 D | | G | Cadd9 D | Verse 2 G Cadd9 D So take the photographs and still frames in your mind G Cadd9 D Hang it on a shelf, in good health and good time Em D C G Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial Em D C G For what it's worth it was worth all the while Chorus 2 Em G Em G It's something unpredictable but in the end it's right Em D G I hope you had the time of your life Instrumental |(G) | Cadd9 D | | G | Cadd9 D | | G | Cadd9 D | | G | Cadd9 D | | Em D | C G | | Em D | C G | Chorus 3 Em G Em G It's something unpredictable but in the end it's right Em D G I hope you had the time of your life Interlude 2 |(G) | Cadd9 D | | G | Cadd9 D | Chorus 4 Em G Em G It's something unpredictable but in the end it's right Em D G I hope you had the time of your life Outro |(G) | Cadd9 D | | G | Cadd9 D | | G Fingerpicked Verse Pattern (optional) e|-------------------------------------------------------| B|-----3-------------3-------------3-------------3-------| G|-------0---0---------0---0---------0---0-----2---2---0-| D|---------0-------0-----0-------2-----2-----0-------0---| A|-----------------------------3-------------------------| E|-3-3-----------3---------------------------------------| e|-----------------------------------------------------| B|-----0------------3-------------3-------------3------| G|-------0---0----2---2---0---------0---0---------0---0| D|---2-----2----0-------0-------2-----2-------0-----0--| A|-2--------------------------3------------------------| E|------------------------------------------3----------| e|-----------------------------------------------------| B|-----0------------3-------------3-------------3------| G|-------0---0----2---2---0---------0---0---------0---0| D|---2-----2----0-------0-------2-----2-------0-----0--| A|-2--------------------------3------------------------| E|------------------------------------------3----------| e|--------------------------| B|-----0-------------3------| G|-------0---0---------0---0| D|---2-----2-------0-----0--| A|-2------------------------| E|---------------3----------| e|--------------------------| B|-----0-------------3------| G|-------0---0---------0---0| D|---2-----2-------0-----0--| A|-2------------------------| E|---------------3----------| e|---------------------------| B|-----0-------------3-------| G|-------0---0-----2---2---2-| D|---2-----2-----0-------0---| A|-2-------------------------| E|---------------------------|
About Cadd9 (the song’s signature sound)
Cadd9 is just C major with an added D note — finger 4 on the B string at the 3rd
fret. That ringing D is one of the most distinctive parts of the entire song. You
can substitute a regular C major if you’re not ready for the full Cadd9, but
you’ll lose some of the song’s signature character. Worth the extra finger to
keep it sounding like itself.
Practice Tips
- The whole song uses just five chords: G, Cadd9, D, Em, C. Lock them in and you can play virtually the entire song from start to finish.
- You also have the option of anchoring finger 3 on the D (B string fret 3). Then for the G major chord and C major chord you can use fingers 1 and 2 on the bass strings.
- The bar notation in the chord chart (“| G | Cadd9 D |”) shows musical measures. The G is held for one full measure, then Cadd9 and D split the next measure (half each).
- The fingerpicked tab is iconic but optional. Strumming chords sounds great too. Come back to the picking once the chord changes feel automatic — it’s worth the effort.