Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield
Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield runs at 132 BPM in 4/4 and is in the key of D major. It is built on 6 chords — D5, A5, D, G5, A, Bm. Released in 1981.
✓ 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 132 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.
Open the free app →Keep playing
More by Rick Springfield See all →
More Power Pop songs See all →
More songs from 1981 See all →
More songs with the I–IV–V–vi progression See all →
Frequently asked questions
What key is Jessie's Girl in?
Jessie's Girl is in D major, sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected.
What tempo is Jessie's Girl?
Jessie's Girl runs at 132 BPM (or 66 half-time).
What chords does Jessie's Girl use?
Jessie's Girl is built on 6 chords: D5, A5, D, G5, A, Bm.
Does Jessie's Girl 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 Jessie's Girl 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.