Major view
G major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = F# (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = C (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Eva Cassidy - Songbird - Chord
Key G major – E minor Chords C, G, Am, D, Em, Bdim Difficulty already in its easiest key
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Key: G | Em
Capo: 0
G C G C G Am D
C G Am Bdim
For you, there'll be no crying
C G Am Bdim
For you, the sun will be shining
Am Em
'Cause I feel that when I'm with you
C
It's alright
G
I know it's alright
D C Em
And the songbirds keep singing like they know the score
C D
And I love you, I love you, I love you
G
Like never before
C C G Am Bdim C C G G D C Em Em C D G
C G Am Bdim
To you, I would give the world
C G Am Bdim
To you, I'd never be cold
Am Em
'Cause I feel that when I'm with you
C
It's alright
G
I know it's alright
D C Em
And the songbirds keep singing like they know the score
C D
And I love you, I love you, I love you
G
Like never before
G
Like never before
C G
Like never before
End of song Play again?
Eva Cassidy - Songbird Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Eva Cassidy – Songbird: key and chord analysis
The song opens on G and ends on G. Its chords belong to both G major and Em, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
E minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = C (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = D (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the G major side because it both starts and finishes on G and G is heard 17 times against 6 for Em. That is an interpretation, not a rule — hearing the same chords from E minor is just as valid and teaches you something different.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to G or to Em; 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 | G | Tonic — home | G · B · D | 17× |
| ii | Am | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | A · C · E | 8× |
| iii | Bm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | B · D · F# | — |
| vii°/IV | Bdim | Secondary leading-tone chord vii°/IV — leads to Csecondary dominant | B · D · F | 5× |
| V/vi | B | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Emsecondary dominant | B · D# · F# | — |
| IV | C | Subdominant — moves away from home | C · E · G | 19× |
| V | D | Dominant — strongest pull home | D · F# · A | 7× |
| vi | Em | Relative minor — the melancholy side | E · G · B | 6× |
| vii° | F#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | F# · A · C | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Em | Tonic — home | E · G · B | 6× |
| ii° | F#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | F# · A · C | — |
| III | G | Relative major — the bright side | G · B · D | 17× |
| iv | Am | Subdominant — moves away from home | A · C · E | 8× |
| v | Bm | Minor dominant — soft pull | B · D · F# | — |
| vii°/VI | Bdim | Secondary leading-tone chord vii°/VI — leads to Csecondary dominant | B · D · F | 5× |
| V | B | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | B · D# · F# | — |
| VI | C | Submediant — warm colour | C · E · G | 19× |
| VII | D | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | D · F# · A | 7× |
Analysis
The key pair is G major and its relative E minor (1 sharp). 6 different chords appear 62 times in total; 5 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. Bdim acts as a secondary dominant, briefly pointing at another chord of the key.
Chord movement
- C G GIV → Iplagal cadence EmVI → III ×11
- D G GV → Iauthentic cadence EmVII → III ×3
- C Em GIV → vi EmVI → iVI → i ×3
- C D GIV → VIV → V EmVI → VIIVI → VII ×3
- Am Em Gii → vi Emiv → iminor plagal ×2
- Am D Gii → Vii → V Emiv → VII ×1
The move to watch is C → G, heard 11 times. From the G side it reads IV → I (plagal cadence: the soft 'amen' ending); from the Em side it is VI → III. Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- G major pentatonic and E minor pentatonic are the same five notes (G – A – B – D – E): start from G for a brighter phrase, from E for a bluesier one.
- Over C, land on C, E, G — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over G, land on G, B, D — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Am, land on A, C, E — 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 G major shapes
- No capo — open G shapes
- Capo 3 + E shapes
- Capo 5 + D shapes
With E minor shapes
- No capo — open Em shapes
- Capo 2 + Dm shapes
- Capo 7 + Am shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
The song is already written in its easiest key for guitar.
The song's harmonic story
Starting on G, the song gives away its key from the very first bar. C, G, Am, D carry the song: IV–I–ii–V relative to G, VI–III–iv–VII relative to Em. Bdim adds a moment of surprise: secondary leading-tone chord vii°/IV — leads to C. Keep an ear on C → G (IV → I in G, VI → III in Em): plagal cadence — the soft 'amen' ending. Ending on G, the song seals G as home.
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.
Eva Cassidy - Songbird 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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