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Alicia Keys - If I Ain’t Got You Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsC, Bm, Am, G, Em, D, G#m
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C 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 G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
  • Guitar G#m | A♭m chord diagram Fingering: 4-6-6-4-4-4 Barre at fret 4. Base fret 4.Guitar G#m | A♭m chord diagram

[Opening]
[C] [Bm] [Am] [G]
[G]Some people live for the [Em]fortune.
[Am]Some people live just for the [D]fame.
[G]Some people live for the [G#m]power yeah.
[Am]Some people live just to play the [D]game.

[verse 2]
[G]Some people [Am]think that the [Bm]physical [Am]things.
De[G]fine [Am]what’s wit[Bm]hin.
[G]I’ve been there be[Am]fore.
But [Bm]that life’s a [Am]bore.
So [G]full of the [Am]superfi[Bm]cial.

[chorus]
Some people [C]want it all, but I don’t want [Bm]nothing at all.
If it ain’t [Am]you baby, If I ain’t got [G]you baby.
Some people want [C]diamond rings, some just want [Bm]everything.
But everything means [Am]nothing, If I ain’t got [G]you.

[verse 3]
[G]Some people search for a foun[Em]tain.
[Am]Promises forever young. [D]
[G]Some people need three dozen [G#m]roses.
[Am]And that’s the only way to prove [D]you love them.

[verse 4]
[G]Hand me the [Am]world on a silver [Bm]plater. [Am]
And [G]what [Am]good would [Bm]it be.
[G]No one to share. [Am]
[Bm]No one who [Am]truly [G]cares [Am]for [Bm]me.

[chorus]
Some people [C]want it all, but I don’t want [Bm]nothing at all.
If it ain’t [Am]you baby, If I ain’t got [G]you baby.
Some people want [C]diamond rings, some just want [Bm]everything.
But everything means [Am]nothing, If I ain’t got [G]you.

[Closing]
[C]
[Bm]If I ain’t got you with me, [Am]baby, [G]ooh.
Said nothing in this [C]whole wide world don’t mean a [Bm]thing.
if I ain’t got you with me, [Am]baby. [G]

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SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
ArtistAlicia Keys
AlbumThe Diary of Alicia Keys
GenresR&B, Soul
Year2003
KeyC

How to play If I Ain't Got You on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Alicia Keys - If I Ain't Got You on guitar requires 7 chords and 11 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.

If I Ain't Got You uses these transitions most often: Am → G (11), Bm → Am (11), and Am → Bm (8). 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 C - Bm chord transition.

1. C → Bm chord transition

Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram

To move from C to Bm;

  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 B 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 G string fret 4.
C to Bm

2. Bm → Am chord transition

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

To move from Bm to Am;

  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 B string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from B string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
  4. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 4 and place it on G string fret 2.
Bm to Am

3. Am → G chord transition

Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram

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.
Am to G

4. G → Em chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram

To move from G to Em;

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

5. Em → Am chord transition

To move from Em to Am;

  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 G string fret 2.
  3. Place index finger on B string fret 1.

6. Am → D chord transition

To move from Am 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 G string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 3.

7. 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.

8. G → G#m chord transition

To move from G to G#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 4.
  3. Slide your ring finger from E string fret 3 to A string fret 6.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 6.

9. G#m → Am chord transition

To move from G#m to Am;

  1. While playing G#m, lift your pinky from D string fret 6.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 4 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 6 to G string fret 2.
  4. Place middle finger on D string fret 2.

10. Bm → G chord transition

To move from Bm to G;

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

11. G → C chord transition

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.

If I Ain't Got You chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in If I Ain't Got You.

  • If I Ain't Got You includes 69 chord transitions, 11 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • If I Ain't Got You contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how If I Ain't Got You connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After Am, the most likely next chords across Chordier are F (26%), G (21%), and C (16%).
    • Am → G: 21%
    • Am → D: 7%
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → C: 25%
    • G → Am: 13%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.