Major view
G major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = F# (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = C (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Elton John - Crocodile Rock - Chord
Key G major – E minor Chords G, C, D, Em, Bm, A7, D7, E … Difficulty already in its easiest key
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Key: G | Em
Capo: 0
G C D
G Em C D
G
I remember when rock was young
Bm
Me and Susie had so much fun
C
Holding hands and skimmin´ stones
D
Had an old gold Chevy
And a place of my own
G
But the biggest kick I ever got
Bm
Was doin' a thing called the Crocodile Rock
C
While the other kids were rockin'
'Round the clock
D
We were hoppin' and boppin'
To the Crocodile Rock, well
Em
Crock Rockin' is something shockin'
A7
When your feet just can't keep still
D7
I never knew me a better time
G
And I guess I never will
E
Oh, Lawdy mamma, those Friday nights
A7
When Susie wore her dresses tight and
D7 C
The Crockdile Rockin' was out of sight
G Em C D
G
But the years went by and rock just died
Bm
Susie went and left me for some foreign guy
C
Long nights cryin' by the record machine
D
Dreamin' of my Chevy and my old blue jeans
G
But they'll never kill the thrills we've got
Bm
Burnin' up to the Crocodile Rock
C
Learning fast till the weeks went past
D/F#
We really thought the Crocodile Rock
Would last, well
Em
Crock Rockin' is something shockin'
A7
When your feet just can't keep still
D7
I never knew me a better time
G
And I guess I never will
E
Oh, Lawdy mamma, those Friday nights
A7
When Susie wore her dresses tight and
D7 C
The Crockdile Rockin' was out of sight
G Em C D
G
I remember when rock was young
Bm
Me and Susie had so much fun
C
Holding hands and skimmin' stones
D
Had a old gold Chevy
And a place of my own
G
But the biggest kick I ever got
Bm
Was doin' a thing called the Crocodile Rock
C
While the other kids were rockin'
'Round the clock
D
We were hoppin' and boppin'
To the Crocodile Rock, well
Em
Crock Rockin' is something shockin'
A7
When your feet just can't keep still
D7
I never knew me a better time
G
And I guess I never will
E
Oh, Lawdy mamma, those Friday nights
A7
When Susie wore her dresses tight and
D7 C
The Crockdile Rockin' was out of sight
G Em C D
G Em C D
G Em C D G
End of song Play again?
Elton John - Crocodile Rock Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Elton John – Crocodile Rock: key and chord analysis
The song opens on G and ends on G. Its chords belong to both G major and Em, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
E minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = C (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = D (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the G major side because it both starts and finishes on G and G is heard 17 times against 9 for Em. That is an interpretation, not a rule — hearing the same chords from E minor is just as valid and teaches you something different.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to G or to Em; comparing both readings is a practice of its own.
Every chord of the key, listed 1 to 7 separately for each key. Chords played in the song show how often they appear; chords from outside the scale sit next to their own degree.
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | G | Tonic — home | G · B · D | 17× |
| ii | Am | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | A · C · E | — |
| V7/V | A7 | Secondary dominant V/V — leads to Dsecondary dominant | A · C# · E · G | 6× |
| iii | Bm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | B · D · F# | 6× |
| V/vi | B | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Emsecondary dominant | B · D# · F# | — |
| IV | C | Subdominant — moves away from home | C · E · G | 16× |
| V | D | Dominant — strongest pull home | D · F# · A | 12× |
| V7 | D7 | Dominant — strongest pull home | D · F# · A · C | 6× |
| V | D/F# | Dominant — strongest pull home | D · F# · A | 1× |
| vi | Em | Relative minor — the melancholy side | E · G · B | 9× |
| V/ii | E | Secondary dominant V/ii — leads to Amsecondary dominant | E · G# · B | 3× |
| vii° | F#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | F# · A · C | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Em | Tonic — home | E · G · B | 9× |
| V/iv | E | Secondary dominant V/iv — leads to Amsecondary dominant | E · G# · B | 3× |
| ii° | F#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | F# · A · C | — |
| III | G | Relative major — the bright side | G · B · D | 17× |
| iv | Am | Subdominant — moves away from home | A · C · E | — |
| IV7 | A7 | Major IV — Dorian / melodic-minor colourmodal colour | A · C# · E · G | 6× |
| v | Bm | Minor dominant — soft pull | B · D · F# | 6× |
| V | B | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | B · D# · F# | — |
| VI | C | Submediant — warm colour | C · E · G | 16× |
| VII | D | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | D · F# · A | 12× |
| VII7 | D7 | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | D · F# · A · C | 6× |
| VII | D/F# | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | D · F# · A | 1× |
Analysis
The key pair is G major and its relative E minor (1 sharp). 9 different chords appear 76 times in total; 7 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. A7, E act as secondary dominants, briefly pointing at another chord of the key.
Chord movement
- C D GIV → VIV → V EmVI → VIIVI → VII ×12
- D G GV → Iauthentic cadence EmVII → III ×10
- A7 D7 GV7/V → V7secondary resolution EmIV7 → VII7 ×6
- D7 G GV7 → Iauthentic cadence EmVII7 → III ×3
- C G GIV → Iplagal cadence EmVI → III ×3
- D Em GV → videceptive cadence EmVII → iAeolian arrival ×2
The move to watch is C → D, heard 12 times. From the G side it reads IV → V (IV → V: the lift that builds tension before home); from the Em side it is VI → VII (VI → VII: the rising step that heads for the tonic). Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- G major pentatonic and E minor pentatonic are the same five notes (G – A – B – D – E): start from G for a brighter phrase, from E for a bluesier one.
- Over G, land on G, B, D — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over C, land on C, E, G — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over D, land on D, F#, A — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
The song on the circle of fifths
- Played in the song — chord of the key
- Played — the minor's harmonic V or a secondary dominant
- Played — borrowed or outside chord
- Home region: IV–I–V and ii–vi–iii
Empty slices are chords the song doesn't use.
Capo and easier keys
With G major shapes
- No capo — open G shapes
- Capo 3 + E shapes
- Capo 5 + D shapes
With E minor shapes
- No capo — open Em shapes
- Capo 2 + Dm shapes
- Capo 7 + Am shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
The song is already written in its easiest key for guitar.
The song's harmonic story
The first chord is G; the ear learns where home is within a second. The backbone is G, C, D, Em — I–IV–V–vi from the G side, III–VI–VII–i from the Em side. A7 adds a moment of surprise: secondary dominant V/V — leads to D. Keep an ear on C → D (IV → V in G, VI → VII in Em): IV → V — the lift that builds tension before home. It closes on G, letting the G side have the last word.
This analysis is generated from the song's chords by akorculuk's harmony engine using consistent rules. When you change key, the degrees stay the same; only the chord names change.
Elton John - Crocodile Rock Chords on Guitar, Ukulele and Piano
Hover over or tap a chord in the lyrics for its shapes, its degree in both keys and a listen button. Here you have every chord of the song side by side.
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