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)
Adele - Lovesong - Chord
Key Eb major – C minor Chords Am, G, F, E, C Difficulty already in its easiest key
No ratings yet
or your user informations
Make it yours
Text size
Key: Eb | Cm
Capo: 0
Am G F E Am G F E Whenever I'm alone with you Am G F E You make me feel like I am home again Am G F E Whenever I'm alone with you Am G F E You make me feel like I am whole again Am G F E Whenever I'm alone with you Am G F E You make me feel like I am young again Am G F E Whenever I'm alone with you Am G F E You make me feel like I am fun again F G How ever far away Am C I will always love you F G How ever long I stay Am C I will always love you F G What ever words I say Am C I will always love you F G Am I will always love you Am G F E Whenever I'm alone with you Am G F E You make me feel like I am free again Am G F E Whenever I'm alone with you Am G F E You make me feel like I am clean again F G How ever far away Am C I will always love you F G How ever long I stay Am C I will always love you F G What ever words I say Am C I will always love you F G Am I will always love you
End of song Play again?
Adele - Lovesong Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Adele – Lovesong: key and chord analysis
The song opens on Am and ends on Am. 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)
- #7 = B (harmonic-minor leading tone from the V chord)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the C minor side because the major V chord points straight at Cm. 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 | — |
| bII | E | Neapolitan bII — a dark, dramatic colour a half step above the tonicborrowed chord | E · G# · B | 13× |
| ii | Fm | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | F · Ab · C | — |
| II | F | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | F · A · C | 21× |
| iii | Gm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | G · Bb · D | — |
| V/vi | G | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Cmsecondary dominant | G · B · D | 21× |
| IV | Ab | Subdominant — moves away from home | Ab · C · Eb | — |
| #iv | Am | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | A · C · E | 21× |
| V | Bb | Dominant — strongest pull home | Bb · D · F | — |
| vi | Cm | Relative minor — the melancholy side | C · Eb · G | — |
| V/ii | C | Secondary dominant V/ii — leads to Fmsecondary dominant | C · E · G | 6× |
| vii° | Ddim | Leading-tone chord — tension | D · F · Ab | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Cm | Tonic — home | C · Eb · G | — |
| V/iv | C | Secondary dominant V/iv — leads to Fmsecondary dominant | C · E · G | 6× |
| ii° | Ddim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | D · F · Ab | — |
| III | Eb | Relative major — the bright side | Eb · G · Bb | — |
| #III | E | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | E · G# · B | 13× |
| iv | Fm | Subdominant — moves away from home | F · Ab · C | — |
| IV | F | Major IV — Dorian / melodic-minor colourmodal colour | F · A · C | 21× |
| v | Gm | Minor dominant — soft pull | G · Bb · D | — |
| V | G | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | G · B · D | 21× |
| VI | Ab | Submediant — warm colour | Ab · C · Eb | — |
| #vi | Am | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | A · C · E | 21× |
| VII | Bb | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | Bb · D · F | — |
Analysis
The key pair is Eb major and its relative C minor (3 flats). 5 different chords appear 82 times in total; 0 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. The major V of Cm brings the harmonic-minor leading tone, giving the minor side a sharper, more dramatic pull; seen from Eb, the same G is V/vi, a secondary dominant heading for Cm. C acts as a secondary dominant, briefly pointing at another chord of the key. E is borrowed from the parallel minor, adding a darker shade to the major side.
Chord movement
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.
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 Am, 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 F, land on F, A, C — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- When G comes, swap the scale's Bb for B: that single note is the harmonic-minor sound of the chord.
- On E, follow the chord's notes (E · G# · B) 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 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
The song is already written in its easiest key for guitar.
The song's harmonic story
The opening Am lays a solid floor for everything that follows. Am, G, F, E carry the song: #iv–V/vi–II–bII relative to Eb, #vi–V–IV–#III relative to Cm. G is the interesting twist: in Eb it is a chromatic chord (V/vi), while in Cm it becomes the dominant (V) that makes the minor side sound so determined. The final chord is Am; 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.
Adele - Lovesong 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.