Major view
Gb major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = F (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = Cb (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Key Gb major – Eb minor Chords C, F, G, Em7, Am, Dm Easy key C# (capo 5)
C Em7 F
C Em7 F
I took the supermarket flowers from the windowsill
C Em7 F
I threw the day old tea from the cup
Am G F C
Packed up the photo album Matthew had made
F G C
Memories of a life that's been loved
C Em7 F
Took the get well soon cards and stuffed animals
C Em7 F
Poured the old ginger beer down the sink
Am G F C
Dad always told me "don't you cry when you're down"
F G C
But mum there's a tear every time that I blink
Dm F C G
Oh I'm in pieces it's tearing me up but I know
Dm F C G
A heart that's broke is a heart that's been loved
C Em7 F G
So I'll sing Hallelujah, you were an angel
C Em7 F G
In the shape of my mum When I fell down you'd be there
Am F C G
Holding me up spread your wings as you go and when
Am F C G C Em7 F C Em7 F
God takes you back We'll say Hallelujah, you're home
C Em7 F
I fluffed the pillows, made the beds, stacked the chairs up
C Em7 F
Folded your nightgowns neatly in a case
Am G F C
John said he'd drive then put his hand on my cheek
F G C
And wiped a tear from the side of my face
Dm F C G
I hope that I see the world as you did cause I know
Dm F C G
A life with love is a life that's been lived
C Em7 F G
So I'll sing Hallelujah, you were an angel
C Em7 F G
In the shape of my mum When I fell down you'd be there
Am F C G
Holding me up spread your wings as you go and when
Am F C G
God takes you back We'll say Hallelujah, you're home
C Em7 F G
Hallelujah, you were an angel
C Em7 F G
In the shape of my mum You got to see the person
Am F C G
I have become spread your wings and I know that when
Am F C G C
God took you back he said Hallelujah, you're home
End of song Play again?
Harmony analysis
The song opens on C and ends on C. Its chords belong to both Gb major and Ebm, so every chord below is read both ways.
Major view
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
Minor view
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: we can't honestly pick a side here — the song moves freely between Gb major and Eb minor. Try reading the chords both ways and see which feels more like home to you.
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to Gb or to Ebm; 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 | Gb | Tonic — home | Gb · Bb · Db | — |
| bII | G | Neapolitan bII — a dark, dramatic colour a half step above the tonicborrowed chord | G · B · D | 22× |
| ii | Abm | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | Ab · Cb · Eb | — |
| biii | Am | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | A · C · E | 9× |
| iii | Bbm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | Bb · Db · F | — |
| III | Bb | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | Bb · D · F | — |
| IV | Cb | Subdominant — moves away from home | Cb · Eb · Gb | — |
| #IV | C | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | C · E · G | 32× |
| V | Db | Dominant — strongest pull home | Db · F · Ab | — |
| bvi | Dm | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | D · F · A | 4× |
| vi | Ebm | Relative minor — the melancholy side | Eb · Gb · Bb | — |
| bvii7 | Em7 | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | E · G · B · D | 15× |
| vii° | Fdim | Leading-tone chord — tension | F · Ab · Cb | — |
| VII | F | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | F · A · C | 31× |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Ebm | Tonic — home | Eb · Gb · Bb | — |
| bii7 | Em7 | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | E · G · B · D | 15× |
| ii° | Fdim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | F · Ab · Cb | — |
| II | F | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | F · A · C | 31× |
| III | Gb | Relative major — the bright side | Gb · Bb · Db | — |
| #III | G | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | G · B · D | 22× |
| iv | Abm | Subdominant — moves away from home | Ab · Cb · Eb | — |
| #iv | Am | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | A · C · E | 9× |
| v | Bbm | Minor dominant — soft pull | Bb · Db · F | — |
| V | Bb | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | Bb · D · F | — |
| VI | Cb | Submediant — warm colour | Cb · Eb · Gb | — |
| #VI | C | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | C · E · G | 32× |
| VII | Db | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | Db · F · Ab | — |
| #vii | Dm | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | D · F · A | 4× |
The key pair is Gb major and its relative Eb minor (6 flats). 6 different chords appear 113 times in total; 0 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. G is borrowed from the parallel minor, adding a darker shade to the major side.
There's no textbook cadence here; the chords circle around each other in a loop, so the song feels more like a groove than a series of arrivals.
Empty slices are chords the song doesn't use.
Starting on C, the song gives away its key from the very first bar. C, F, G, Em7 carry the song: #IV–VII–bII–bvii7 relative to Gb, #VI–II–#III–bii7 relative to Ebm. G briefly darkens the picture: neapolitan bii — a dark, dramatic colour a half step above the tonic. The final chord is C; the ear comes to rest in Gb.
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.
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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