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)
Michael Jackson - Human Nature - Chord
Key G major – E minor Chords A, G, Em7, Gbm7, Bm, D, Bm7, D/C# … Easy key C (capo 7)
No ratings yet
or your user informations
Make it yours
Text size
Key: G | Em
Capo: 0
G9 A Fmaj7 Em7
G A
Looking out
G A
Across the nighttime
G A G A
The city winks a sleepless eye
G A
Hear her voice
G A
Shake my window
G Gbm7 Em7 A
Sweet seducing sighs
G A
Get me out
G A
Into the nighttime
G A G A
Four walls won't hold me tonight
G A
If this town
G A
Is just an apple
G Gbm7 Em7 A
Then let me take a bite
If they say
G A D D/C# Bm7 A
Why, why, tell 'em that it's human nature
G Gbm7 Em7 Bm
Why, why, does he do me that way
If they say
G A D D/C# Bm7 A
Why, why, tell 'em that it's human nature
G Gbm7 Em7 A
Why, why, does he do me that way
G A
Reaching out
G A
To touch a stranger
G A G A
Electric eyes are ev'rywhere
G A
See that girl
G A
She knows I'm watching
G Gbm7 Em7 A
She likes the way I stare
If they say
G A D A/C# Bm7 A
Why, why, tell 'em that it's human nature
G Gbm7 Em7 Bm
Why, why, does he do me that way
If they say
G A D A/C# Bm7 A
Why, why, tell 'em that it's human nature
G Gbm7 Em7 Bm
Why, why, does he do me that way
Em7 Bm
I like lovin' this way
Em7 Bm
I like lovin' this way
G A
Looking out
G A
Across the morning
G A G A
Where the city's heart begins to beat
G A
Reaching out
G A
I touch her shoulder
G Gbm7 Em7 A
I'm dreaming of the street
If they say
G A D D/C# Bm7 A
Why, why, tell 'em that it's human nature
G Gbm7 Em7 Bm
Why, why, does he do me that way
If they say
G A D D/C# Bm7 A
Why, why, tell 'em that it's human nature
G Gbm7 Em7 Bm
Why, why, does he do me that way
Em7 Bm
I like living this way
End of song Play again?
Michael Jackson - Human Nature Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Michael Jackson – Human Nature: key and chord analysis
The song opens on G9 and ends on Bm. 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 opens on G and G is heard 41 times against 14 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 | 40× |
| I7 | G9 | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | G · B · D · F · A | 1× |
| ii | Am | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | A · C · E | — |
| V/V | A | Secondary dominant V/V — leads to Dsecondary dominant | A · C# · E | 42× |
| V/V | A/C# | Secondary dominant V/V — leads to Dsecondary dominant | A · C# · E | 2× |
| iii | Bm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | B · D · F# | 8× |
| iii7 | Bm7 | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | B · D · F# · A | 6× |
| V/vi | B | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Emsecondary dominant | B · D# · F# | — |
| IV | C | Subdominant — moves away from home | C · E · G | — |
| V | D | Dominant — strongest pull home | D · F# · A | 6× |
| V | D/C# | Dominant — strongest pull home | D · F# · A | 4× |
| vi7 | Em7 | Relative minor — the melancholy side | E · G · B · D | 14× |
| bVIImaj7 | Fmaj7 | bVII — borrowed (Mixolydian / parallel minor)borrowed chord | F · A · C · E | 1× |
| vii° | F#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | F# · A · C | — |
| vii7 | Gbm7 | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | Gb · A · Db · Fb | 10× |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i7 | Em7 | Tonic — home | E · G · B · D | 14× |
| bIImaj7 | Fmaj7 | Neapolitan bII — a dark, dramatic colour a half step above the tonicborrowed chord | F · A · C · E | 1× |
| ii° | F#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | F# · A · C | — |
| ii7 | Gbm7 | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | Gb · A · Db · Fb | 10× |
| III | G | Relative major — the bright side | G · B · D | 40× |
| III7 | G9 | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | G · B · D · F · A | 1× |
| iv | Am | Subdominant — moves away from home | A · C · E | — |
| IV | A | Major IV — Dorian / melodic-minor colourmodal colour | A · C# · E | 42× |
| IV | A/C# | Major IV — Dorian / melodic-minor colourmodal colour | A · C# · E | 2× |
| v | Bm | Minor dominant — soft pull | B · D · F# | 8× |
| v7 | Bm7 | Minor dominant — soft pull | B · D · F# · A | 6× |
| V | B | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | B · D# · F# | — |
| VI | C | Submediant — warm colour | C · E · G | — |
| VII | D | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | D · F# · A | 6× |
| VII | D/C# | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | D · F# · A | 4× |
Analysis
The key pair is G major and its relative E minor (1 sharp). 11 different chords appear 134 times in total; 6 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. A, A/C# act as secondary dominants, briefly pointing at another chord of the key. Fmaj7 is borrowed from the parallel minor, adding a darker shade to the major side.
Chord movement
- Bm Em7 Giii → vi7 Emv → i7natural-minor cadence ×3
The move to watch is Bm → Em7, heard 3 times. From the G side it reads iii → vi7; from the Em side it is v → i7 (natural-minor cadence: gentle, modal arrival). 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 A, land on A, C#, E — 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 Em7, land on E, G, B — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- On Fmaj7, follow the chord's notes (F · A · C · E) rather than the key's scale — it's a borrowed colour.
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
- 5 semitones up · capo 7 keeps the original pitch
- 2 semitones down · capo 2 keeps the original pitch
The song's harmonic story
The opening G9 lays a solid floor for everything that follows. The backbone is A, G, Em7, Gbm7 — V/V–I–vi7–vii7 from the G side, IV–III–i7–ii7 from the Em side. A adds a moment of surprise: secondary dominant V/V — leads to D. Keep an ear on Bm → Em7 (iii → vi7 in G, v → i7 in Em): natural-minor cadence — gentle, modal arrival. Ending on Bm, 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.
Michael Jackson - Human Nature 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.
Repertoires with this song
Similar songs, ready to play: pick a list.
Report error for this content report.
All copyrights belong to their respective owners. If you think this content contains copyright infringement, please contact us.