Lag Ja Gale

 

Lag Ja Gale – Lata Mangeshkar | Guitar Chords

Lag Ja Gale is one of the most beautiful romantic melodies from the golden era of Hindi cinema. The song was sung by Lata Mangeshkar for the 1964 movie Woh Kaun Thi?, with music composed by Madan Mohan and lyrics by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan.

This version uses simple open chords and is suitable for beginners as well as intermediate guitar players.

🎸 Looking for a guitar to start playing songs like this? Check out our guide to the [Best Acoustic Guitars for Beginners in India – 2026].

Chords Used

G – Em – D – C – Am

For an easier version, you can play most of the song using:

G – C – D – Am

Tuning: Standard EADGBE
Capo: Not required
Key: G major in this easy arrangement

Strumming Pattern

Recommended Pattern

D – DU – DU

Where:

D = Down
U = Up

Play it softly and allow the chords to ring. The song sounds much better with a gentle touch rather than aggressive strumming.

You can also use:

D – D – D

during the quieter portions of the song.

Intro

Try the following chord progression before starting the vocals:

G | Em | D | C | D | G

Keep the first few strokes very soft.

Lyrics with Chords

[Mukhda]

[G] Lag ja gale, ke phir ye haseen raat ho na ho
[C] Shayad phir is janam mein [D] mulaqaat ho [G] na ho

[G] Lag ja gale…

The opening progression can be played as:

G → Em → D → C → D → G

For the line ending in “na ho”, let the G chord ring slightly longer.

Antara 1

[G] Humko mili hain aaj ye ghadiyaan naseeb se
[G] Jee bhar ke dekh lijiye humko kareeb se

[G] Phir aapke naseeb mein ye baat ho [Em] na ho [D]
[C] Shayad phir is janam mein [D] mulaqaat ho [G] na ho

Then return to:

[G] Lag ja gale…

Antara 2

[G] Paas aaiye ke hum nahin aayenge baar baar
[G] Baahon mein gale daal ke hum ro lein zaar zaar

[G] Aankhon se phir ye pyaar ki barsaat ho [Em] na ho [D]
[C] Shayad phir is janam mein [D] mulaqaat ho [G] na ho

Finish by returning to the main progression:

G → Em → D → C → D → G

Guitar Tip

The beauty of Lag Ja Gale lies in its pauses and soft vocal phrasing. Don’t try to fill every beat with strumming.

For a more expressive performance, try one gentle downstroke followed by light fingerpicking during the opening line. Once the vocals become stronger, move into the D-DU-DU pattern.

For beginners, practice these transitions separately:

G → Em → D

and

C → D → G

Once these changes become smooth, the entire song becomes considerably easier to play.

Recommended Beginner Progression

G | Em | D | C | D | G

Play it slowly first, then gradually increase the tempo while keeping the strumming soft.

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2. Yaar Mod Do 
3. Dil da Dimaag – Sharry Mann 
4. Dawood – Sidhu Moose Wala (Lyrics Explained) 
5. Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd 
6. Ilahi – Arijit Singh