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Elvis Costello - I Want You Chords

ChordsA, E, D, G, F#m, Em, C, B, D#m
Strumming↓↑-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

AOh,myEbaby,Ababy,IloveyoumorethanIcanEtell,
IAdon’tthinkIcanlivewithDoutyou,andIAknowthatIEneverAwill,E
AOh,myEbaby,Ababy,Iwantyouso,itscaresmeEtodeath,
IAcan’tsayanymorethan“IDloveyou!”,everythingAelseisaGwasteofF#mbreathEm
EmIwantGyou!YouChadyourfun,youBdon’tgetwellnoEmmore,
IGwantyou!YourCfingernailsgoBdraggingdowntheD#mwall,
BeBcareful,Cdarling,Byoumightfall
EmIwantGyou!CIwokeup,andBoneofuswasEmcrying,
IGwantyou!YouCsaid,‘Youngman,IBdobelieveyou’reEmdying!’
IGwantyou!IfyouCneedasecondBopinion,asyouseemtoEmdo,thesedays,
IGwantyou!CYoucanlookinmyBeyes,andyoucanD#mcountthewaysBCB
EmIwantGyou!DidyouCmeantotellme,BbutseemtoEmforget?
IGwantyou!SinceCwhenwereyousoBgenerous,and Eminarticulate?
IGwantyou,butCit’sthestupidBdetailsthatmyEmheartisbreakingGfor,
It’stheCwayyourshouldersBshake,andwhatthey’reEmshakingfor,
IGwantyou!It’sCknowingthatheBknowsyounow,afterEmonlyguessing,
GIt’stheCthoughtofhimBundressingyou,orD#myouundressingBCB
EmIwantGyou!HeCtossedsometattyBcomplimentyourEmway,
IGwantyou,andCyouwerefoolBenoughtoloveit.
CWhenheD#msaid,Em”IGwantCyou!”B
EmIwantGyou!TheCtruthcan’thurtyou,Bit’sjustliketheEmdark,
ItGscaresyouwitless,Cbut,intime,youBseethingsclearandEmstark,
IGwantyou!GoCon,andhurtme,Bthenwe’llletitEmdrop,
IGwantyou!CI’mafraidIBwon’tknowwheretoEmstop,
IGwantyou!I’mCnotashamedtoBsay,IcriedforEmyou
IGwantyou!ICwanttoknowtheBthingsyoudid,thatEmwedidtoo,
IGwantyou!ICwanttohearheBpleasesyoumoreEmthanIdo,
IGwantyou!ICmightaswellbeBuselessforallitEmmeanstoyou,
IGwantyou!DidyouCcallhisnameoutBasheheldyouEmdown?
IGwantyou!Oh,Cno,mydarling,BnotwiththatEmclown,GIwantCyou!B
EmIwantGyou!You’veChadyourfun,youBdon’tgetwellnoEmmore,
IGwantyou!NoConewhowantsyou,BcouldwantyouD#mmore,
EmIGwantCyou!BIEmwantGyou!
EmIwantGyou!CEverynight,whenBIgoofftoEmbed,
AndwhenIGwakeup,CIBwantyou!
EmI’mGgonnaCsayitBonceagain,’tilEmIinstillit,G
I’mCgoinggoingtoBfeelthiswayEmuntilyoukillGit,
CIBwantyou!EmIGwantCyou!BEmG
CIBwantEmyou!GCBEm
AlbumBlood & Chocolate
GenresRock
Year1986
KeyEm
DifficultyAdvanced

How to play I Want You on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Elvis Costello - I Want You on guitar requires 9 chords and 12 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.

I Want You uses these transitions most often: C → B (41), Em → G (38), and G → C (38). 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 A - E chord transition.

1. A → E chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

A to E

2. A → D chord transition

To move from A to D:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

A to D

3. A → G chord transition

To move from A to G:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

A to G

4. G → F#m chord transition

To move from G to F#m:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

G to F#m

5. F#m → Em chord transition

To move from F#m to Em:

  1. While playing F#m, first lift your index finger and pinky.
  2. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 4 and place it on D string fret 2.
  3. Place middle finger on A string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse.

6. Em → G chord transition

Switching from Em to G:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 38 times.

7. G → C chord transition

Here's how to move from G to C:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 38 times.

8. C → B chord transition

To move from C to B:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 41 times.

9. B → Em chord transition

Here's how to move from B to Em:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 36 times.

10. B → D#m chord transition

Here's how to move from B to D#m:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

11. C → D#m chord transition

To move from C to D#m:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

12. D#m → Em chord transition

Here's how to move from D#m to Em:

  1. While playing D#m, first lift your index finger and pinky.
  2. Lift your middle finger from G 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in I Want You.

  • I Want You includes 186 chord transitions, 12 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.05% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • I Want You contains 2 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how I Want You connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After B, the most likely next chords across Chordier are E (21%), Em (16%), and A (16%).
    • B → Em: 16%
    • B → C: 5%
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → B: 1%
    • C → D#m: 0%