Skip to song content

Kelly Clarkson - Because Of You Chords

ChordsEm, C, D, G, Bm, Am, B, F#m, E, A, C#
Strumming↓-↓↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

  • Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram
  • Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • Guitar B chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-4-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar B chord diagram
  • Guitar F#m | G♭m chord diagram Fingering: 2-4-4-2-2-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar F#m | G♭m chord diagram
  • Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram
  • Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
  • Guitar C# | D♭ chord diagram Fingering: x-4-3-1-2-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar C# | D♭ chord diagram


[Em] [C] [D] [Em] [C] [D]
[G]I will not [Bm]make the [Em]same mistakes that you [Em]did,
[D]I [G]will not [Bm]let myself [Em]cause my heart so much [Em]misery. [D]
[G]I will not [Bm]break the [Em]way you did, you [Em]fell so [D]hard,
[G]I’ve learned the [Bm]hard way to [Em]never let it [Em]get that far. [D]


[D]Because of [Em]you I never stray [C]too far from the [D]sidewalk,
Because of [Em]you I learned to play on the [C]safe side so I don’t [D]get hurt,
Because [Am]of you I find it hard to [G]trust not only me, [D]but everyone around [B]me,
Because of [C]you, I am [D]afraid.


[G]I lose my [Bm]way, and its [Em]not too long [Em]before [D]you point it [G]out,
I cannot [Bm]cry, [Em]because you know that’s [Em]weakness in [D]your eyes[G];
I’m forced to [Bm]fake, a [Em]smile, a laugh, [Em] [D]everyday of my [G]life
My heart can’t [Bm]possibly break, when [Em]it wasn’t even [Em]whole to start [D]with…


[D]Because of [Em]you I never stray [C]too far from the [D]sidewalk,
Because of [Em]you I learned to play on the [C]safe side so I don’t [D]get hurt,
Because [Am]of you I find it hard to [G]trust not only me, [D]but everyone around [B]me,
Because of [C]you, I am [D]afraid. [D]


I watched you [Bm]die, I heard you [Em]cry every night in [D]your sleep.
I was so [Bm]young, you should have [Em]known better than to [D]lean on me.
You never [Bm]thought of anyone [Em]else, you just [D]saw your pain,
[D]and now I [Bm]cry in the middle of the [Em]night, for [D]the same damn [D]thing.


[D]Because of [Em]you I never stray [C]too far from the [D]sidewalk, [D]
[D]because of [Em]you I learned to play on the [C]safe side so I [D]don’t get hurt
Because of [F#m]you I try my hardest [D]just to forget [E]everything,
because of [F#m]you I don’t know how to [D]let anyone else [E]in.
Because of you [Bm]I’m ashamed of my [A]life because its [E]empty
[C#]Because of [D]you, I am, [E]afraid, because of [F#m]you. [D] [E]
[E]Because of [F#m]you. [D] [E]

Report Error
AlbumBreakaway
GenresCountry, Pop
Year2004
KeyEm

How to play Because Of You on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Kelly Clarkson - Because Of You on guitar requires 11 chords and 19 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

Because Of You uses these transitions most often: Bm → Em (12), Em → D (12), and C → D (10). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with Em - C chord transition.

1. Em → C chord transition

To move from Em to C;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
  2. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 3.
  3. Place index finger on B string fret 1.
Em to C

2. C → D chord transition

To move from C to D;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.
C to D

3. D → Em chord transition

To move from D to Em;

  1. While playing D, lift your index finger from G string fret 2.
  2. Lift your middle finger from E string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from B string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
D to Em

4. D → G chord transition

To move from D to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
D to G

5. G → Bm chord transition

To move from G to Bm;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to B string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on G string fret 4.

6. Bm → Em chord transition

To move from Bm to Em;

  1. While playing Bm, first lift your index finger and pinky.
  2. Lift your middle finger from B string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on D string from fret 4 to fret 2.

7. D → Am chord transition

To move from D to Am;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.

8. Am → G chord transition

To move from Am to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 3.

9. D → B chord transition

To move from D to B;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to D string fret 4.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on B string fret 4.

10. B → C chord transition

To move from B to C;

  1. While playing B, lift your pinky from B string fret 4.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger on D string from fret 4 to fret 2.
  4. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 4 and place it on A string fret 3.

11. D → Bm chord transition

To move from D to Bm;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to B string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on G string fret 4.

12. D → F#m chord transition

To move from D to F#m;

  1. While playing D, lift your middle finger from E string fret 2.
  2. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from B string fret 3 to A string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 4.

13. D → E chord transition

To move from D to E;

  1. Slide your index finger on G string from fret 2 to fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 2.

14. E → F#m chord transition

To move from E to F#m;

  1. While playing E, lift your middle finger from A string fret 2.
  2. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 4.

15. E → Bm chord transition

To move from E to Bm;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to B string fret 3.
  3. Slide your ring finger on D string from fret 2 to fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on G string fret 4.

16. Bm → A chord transition

To move from Bm to A;

  1. While playing Bm, lift your pinky from G string fret 4.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from B string fret 3 to G string fret 2.
  4. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 4 and place it on B string fret 2.

17. A → E chord transition

To move from A to E;

  1. Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.

18. E → C# chord transition

To move from E to C#;

  1. Keep index finger on G string fret 1.
  2. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on D string from fret 2 to fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on A string fret 4.

19. C# → D chord transition

To move from C# to D;

  1. While playing C#, lift your pinky from A string fret 4.
  2. Slide your index finger on G string from fret 1 to fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from B string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
  4. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Because Of You.

  • Because Of You includes 97 chord transitions, 19 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Because Of You contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Because Of You connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After D, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).
    • D → G: 29%
    • D → Em: 17%
    After Em, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (26%), G (18%), and D (17%).
    • Em → C: 26%
    • Em → D: 17%