Chasing Cars the Song

Chasing Cars was a release from a fourth studio album by the British band Snow Patrol. The song is their biggest selling single to date. It got big in the states after being used in the US TV show Grey’s Anatomy for its second season finale back in 2006. (The kinda thing we all want, for those of us little guys who write jingles and music for media…)

Fun Fact- According to Wikipedia :

The song is Snow Patrol's biggest-selling single to date, ending 2006 as that year's 14th best-selling single in the UK and that year had the distinction of being the last song performed live on the BBC's Top of the Pops “

For us “PlayableGuitar.com” guys this a gem. You can get everyone from small kids to ****hot hero-shredders playing this together with results that define the educational term “differentiation”.

Get the PDF of Tab and Score here

Get the GP6 gpx file here

Chasing Cars Half Speed Play-along

This is for any Grade 1 RSL (Rock School) candidate who wants to see up close and hear the RSL arrangement and play along with it at 50% tempo. Includes performance guidance in the video in real time.

It doesn’t matter what kind of guitar or amp you can just play along with the video and even slow it down further with YouTube or third-party slower downers.

Just have fun and build up the tempo gradually. This is a great song for beginners and it makes an excellent piece to arrange for guitar ensembles of mixed abilities.

The Chasing Cars Differentiation Gem

Ok, so why is Chasing Cars a differentiation gem?

Because differentiated teaching and learning requires that skills knowledge and understanding can be passed on or exchanged regardless of differences that may exist between learners.

•Absolute Beginners can strike a single open string, learning to land on beat one for a simple symmetrical repeating pattern

•More experience beginners can play single open string eighth notes.

•Upper level Beginners can play a two pitch eight note rhythm figure

•Upper level Beginners can play open chords

•Intermediate players can play more advanced dynamics and chord inversions

•Higher level players can define the vocal melody, play solos and offer arrangement variations

RSL Rock School Grade One

Maybe that is why RSL (Rock School) uses this song as one of their Grade One exam pieces.

•It has a repeating symmetrical harmonic movement

•It has transferable skills and playable parts

•It has endless arrangement possibilities

•And …Mums like it!

The fingering at the start in the tablature line is not exactly like the Hot Rock version. It is for complete beginners. It is easy to switch to the higher position once you are, or your student is ready and able. Along the way pretty much everything in this song can be simplified to the point of "first song on the guitar" level or "bigged up" to the creative soloing, voicing, group arranging to an advanced level. Happy Playing!!

Back to Top of Page Back to Electric Guitar Tabs Back to Acoustic Guitar Tabs 

If you are local to the United Kingdom West Midlands Coventry Kenilworth Leamington Warwick Rugby Stoneleigh  CV8 Post Code area and are interested in tuition feel free to arrange a “First session Free” Guitar or Theory Lesson. Perhaps you just want to *chat over a cuppa about the options for your children’s music education.

*N.B. Until further notice all interaction will be virtual or in full observation of distancing practices.

Playable Guitar 

Rural Innovation Centre Unit 32 Avenue H 

Stonleigh Park CV8 2LG   +44 2476 998 500

International? Please contact me about Skype lessons. Se habla español – pues bueno un pocito! 

click here to see how to support this site


Contact me directly 

Got suggestions or questions?

Want to try a free Skype or Zoom lesson?

Got a testimonial? click here

Click the link to the contact form above or write to me at the address shown and I will get back to you as quick as I can !

Happy playing!


Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.