Major view
Eb major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = D (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = Ab (the note that leans on the 3rd)
James Arthur - Impossible - Chord
Key Eb major – C minor Chords Bb, Ab, Cm, Eb, Fm, Gm Easy key G
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Key: Eb | Cm
Capo: 0
Cm Eb Bb Ab
Cm
I remember years ago
Eb
Someone told me I should take
Bb
Caution when it comes to love
Ab
I did, I did
Cm
And you were strong and I was not
Eb
My illusion, my mistake
Bb
I was careless, I forgot
Ab
I did
Fm
And now when all is done
Gm
There is nothing to say
Ab
You have gone and so effortlessly
Cm
You have won
Bb
You can go ahead tell them
Cm
Tell them all I know now
Eb
Shout it from the rooftops
Bb
Write it on the skyline
Ab
All we had is gone now
Cm
Tell them I was happy
Eb
And my heart is broken
Bb
All my scars are open
Ab
Tell them what I hoped would be
Cm Eb
Impossible, impossible
Bb Ab
Impossible, impossible
Cm
Falling out of love is hard
Eb
Falling for betrayal is worse
Bb
Broken trust and broken hearts
Ab
I know, I know
Cm
Thinking all you need is there
Eb
Building faith on love and words
Bb
Empty promises will wear
Ab
I know (i know)
Fm
And now when all is done
Gm
There is nothing to say
Ab
And if you're done with embarrassing me
On your own
Bb
You can go ahead tell them
Cm
Tell them all I know now
Eb
Shout it from the rooftops
Bb
Write it on the skyline
Ab
All we had is gone now
Cm
Tell them I was happy
Eb
And my heart is broken
Bb
All my scars are open
Ab
Tell them what I hoped would be
Cm Eb
Impossible, imposible
Bb Ab
Impossible, impossible
Cm
I remember years ago
Eb
Someone told me I should take
Bb
Caution when it comes to love
Ab
I did
End of song Play again?
James Arthur - Impossible Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
James Arthur – Impossible: key and chord analysis
The song opens on Cm and ends on Ab. Its chords belong to both Eb major and Cm, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
C minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = Ab (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = Bb (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the C minor side because it opens on Cm and Cm is heard 13 times against 12 for Eb. That is an interpretation, not a rule — the same chords are just as valid seen from Eb major, and switching between the two views is exactly where the practice value lies.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to Eb or to Cm; comparing both readings is a practice of its own.
Every chord of the key, listed 1 to 7 separately for each key. Chords played in the song show how often they appear; chords from outside the scale sit next to their own degree.
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Eb | Tonic — home | Eb · G · Bb | 12× |
| ii | Fm | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | F · Ab · C | 2× |
| iii | Gm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | G · Bb · D | 2× |
| V/vi | G | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Cmsecondary dominant | G · B · D | — |
| IV | Ab | Subdominant — moves away from home | Ab · C · Eb | 14× |
| V | Bb | Dominant — strongest pull home | Bb · D · F | 14× |
| vi | Cm | Relative minor — the melancholy side | C · Eb · G | 13× |
| vii° | Ddim | Leading-tone chord — tension | D · F · Ab | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Cm | Tonic — home | C · Eb · G | 13× |
| ii° | Ddim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | D · F · Ab | — |
| III | Eb | Relative major — the bright side | Eb · G · Bb | 12× |
| iv | Fm | Subdominant — moves away from home | F · Ab · C | 2× |
| v | Gm | Minor dominant — soft pull | G · Bb · D | 2× |
| V | G | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | G · B · D | — |
| VI | Ab | Submediant — warm colour | Ab · C · Eb | 14× |
| VII | Bb | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | Bb · D · F | 14× |
Analysis
The key pair is Eb major and its relative C minor (3 flats). 6 different chords appear 57 times in total; 6 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. Everything stays inside one scale, which is why the song is easy to follow by ear.
Chord movement
- Ab Cm EbIV → vi CmVI → iVI → i ×10
- Bb Cm EbV → videceptive cadence CmVII → iAeolian arrival ×2
- Ab Bb EbIV → VIV → V CmVI → VIIVI → VII ×1
The move to watch is Ab → Cm, heard 10 times. From the Cm side it is VI → i (VI → i: falls a half step into home); from the Eb side it reads IV → vi. Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- Eb major pentatonic and C minor pentatonic are the same five notes (Eb – F – G – Bb – C): start from Eb for a brighter phrase, from C for a bluesier one.
- Over Bb, land on Bb, D, F — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Ab, land on Ab, C, Eb — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Cm, land on C, Eb, G — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
The song on the circle of fifths
- Played in the song — chord of the key
- Played — the minor's harmonic V or a secondary dominant
- Played — borrowed or outside chord
- Home region: IV–I–V and ii–vi–iii
Empty slices are chords the song doesn't use.
Capo and easier keys
With Eb major shapes
- Capo 1 + D shapes
- Capo 3 + C shapes
- Capo 6 + A shapes
With C minor shapes
- Capo 3 + Am shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
- 4 semitones up
- 3 semitones down · capo 3 keeps the original pitch
The song's harmonic story
The opening Cm lays a solid floor for everything that follows. Bb, Ab, Cm, Eb carry the song: V–IV–vi–I relative to Eb, VII–VI–i–III relative to Cm. No chord leaves the shared scale, so a single pentatonic shape works over the whole song. Keep an ear on Ab → Cm (IV → vi in Eb, VI → i in Cm): VI → i — falls a half step into home. The final chord is Ab; the ear comes to rest in Eb.
This analysis is generated from the song's chords by akorculuk's harmony engine using consistent rules. When you change key, the degrees stay the same; only the chord names change.
James Arthur - Impossible Chords on Guitar, Ukulele and Piano
Hover over or tap a chord in the lyrics for its shapes, its degree in both keys and a listen button. Here you have every chord of the song side by side.
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