Smokin' In The Boys Room by Brownsville station
Smokin' In The Boys Room by Brownsville station runs at 128 BPM in 4/4 and is in the key of D major. It is built on 6 chords — D5, G, D, Bb5, A, Em. Released in 1973.
✓ Key sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected. See how we verify →
What to watch for
At least one shape here is a full barre — one finger pressing all six strings, no open strings to lean on. Fret it unplugged first; if a string buzzes, it's the barre, not the chord. Some of these are power chords — just the root and fifth, no third — which is why they sit cleanly under distortion without fighting the vocal's major or minor feel.
Practice at the right tempo
This song sits at 128 BPM. Start at 60% until the changes are clean — speed is a by-product of accuracy, not a goal.
Learn the theory
Play it on a live fretboard
Every shape, every voicing, and the scale that fits over them — on a board you can hear. Then just talk to it: Melody Monkey's personal music teacher controls the fretboard, so ask for a chord, a scale, a progression, or why any of it works, and watch it land under your fingers. Free to start.
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Frequently asked questions
What key is Smokin' In The Boys Room in?
Smokin' In The Boys Room is in D major, sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected.
What tempo is Smokin' In The Boys Room?
Smokin' In The Boys Room runs at 128 BPM (beats per minute).
What chords does Smokin' In The Boys Room use?
Smokin' In The Boys Room is built on 6 chords: D5, G, D, Bb5, A, Em.
Does Smokin' In The Boys Room need barre chords?
Yes — at least one shape is a full barre (one finger across all six strings). Everything else on the page is a standard open shape.
What tuning is Smokin' In The Boys Room in?
This recording sits about 23 cents flat of concert pitch (A=434.2Hz, not 440Hz). Tune to the track or you'll fight it the whole way.