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)
Madonna - Nothing Fails - Chord
Key G major – E minor Chords Em, D, C, G Difficulty already in its easiest key
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Key: G | Em
Capo: 0
Em D C G
Em D
I'm in love with you, you silly thing
C G
Anyone can see
Em D
What is it with you, you silly thing
C G
Just take it from me
Em
It was not a chance meeting
D
Feel my heart beating
C G
You're the one
Em D C G
Em D
You could take all this, take it away
C G
I'd still have it all
Em
'Cause I've climbed the tree of life,
D
And that is why
C G
No longer scared if I fall
Em
When I get lost in space
D
I can return to this place
C G
'Cause, you're the one
Em D
Nothing fails / No more fears
C G
Nothing fails / You washed away my tears
Em D
Nothing fails / No more fears
C G
Nothing fails / Nothing fails
Em D
I'm not religious / But I feel so moved
C G
Makes me want to pray / Pray you'll always be here
Em D
I'm not religious / But I feel such love
C
Makes me want to pray
Em
When I get lost in space
D
I can return to this place
C G
'Cause you're the one
Em D C G
End of song Play again?
Madonna - Nothing Fails Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Madonna – Nothing Fails: key and chord analysis
The song opens on Em 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: we can't honestly pick a side here — the song moves freely between G major and E minor because it comes to rest on G, it opens on Em and Em is heard 14 times against 13 for G. Try reading the chords both ways and see which feels more like home to you.
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 | 13× |
| ii | Am | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | A · C · E | — |
| iii | Bm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | B · D · F# | — |
| V/vi | B | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Emsecondary dominant | B · D# · F# | — |
| IV | C | Subdominant — moves away from home | C · E · G | 14× |
| V | D | Dominant — strongest pull home | D · F# · A | 14× |
| vi | Em | Relative minor — the melancholy side | E · G · B | 14× |
| vii° | F#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | F# · A · C | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Em | Tonic — home | E · G · B | 14× |
| ii° | F#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | F# · A · C | — |
| III | G | Relative major — the bright side | G · B · D | 13× |
| iv | Am | Subdominant — moves away from home | A · C · E | — |
| v | Bm | Minor dominant — soft pull | B · D · F# | — |
| V | B | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | B · D# · F# | — |
| VI | C | Submediant — warm colour | C · E · G | 14× |
| VII | D | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | D · F# · A | 14× |
Analysis
The key pair is G major and its relative E minor (1 sharp). 4 different chords appear 55 times in total; 4 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
- C G GIV → Iplagal cadence EmVI → III ×13
- C Em GIV → vi EmVI → iVI → i ×1
The move to watch is C → G, heard 13 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 Em, land on E, G, B — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over D, land on D, F#, A — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over C, land on C, E, 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 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
The first chord is Em; the ear learns where home is within a second. The backbone is Em, D, C, G — vi–V–IV–I from the G side, i–VII–VI–III from the Em side. No chord leaves the shared scale, so a single pentatonic shape works over the whole song. 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.
Madonna - Nothing Fails 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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