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Whitney Houston - I have Nothing - Chord

Key B major – G# minor Chords Ebmaj7, Gm7, Bm7, Dm7, G9, Am7, D7, Ebm7 … Easy key C#

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Capo 0 
 G9                          Em11
Share my life, take me for what I am
       C9      D/C                     G9   Am7 D7
'Cause I'll never change all my colours for you
G9                          Em11
Take my love, I'll never ask for too much
  C9      D/C                     G9    Am7 D7
Just all that you are and everything that you do

Am7                         Bm7       Em7
I don't really need to look very much further
Am9                        Bm7             Em7
I don't want to have to go where you don't follow
Am9                              Bm7
I won't hold it back again, this passion inside
 C7M                  Am7/D    C9      C  D
I can't run from myself, there's nowhere to hide

      Ebmaj7                     Cm7
Don't make me close one more door
                      Dm7     Gm7
I don't wanna hurt anymore
Dm/F      Ebmaj7          Cm7
Stay in my arms if you dare
                   Dm7         Gm7
Or must I imagine you there

Dm/F        Cm9          Dm7          Gm7
Don't walk away from me, me
       Ebmaj7     Bb9/D  Cm7/F
I have nothing, nothing,  nothing
     F7             Bb    Gm7  F  Ebmaj7  D7 D7
If I don't have you, you, you, you

G9.                        Em11
You see through, right to the heart of me
    C9.              D/C
You break down my walls
                          G9  Am7 D7
With the strength of you love, mm
G9.                  Em11
I never knew love like I've known it with you
       C9.        D/C.            G9 Am7 D7
Will a memory survive, one I can hold on to

Am7                                Bm7             Em7
I don't really need to look very much further
Am9                                   Bm7                Em7
I don't want to have to go where you don't follow
Am9                               Bm7
I won't hold it back again, this passion inside
          Cmaj7                                         Am7/D
I can't run from myself, there's nowhere to hide

       Ebmaj7                    Cm7
Don't make me close one more door
              Dm7     Gm7
I don't wanna hurt anymore
Dm/F      Ebmaj7           Cm7
Stay in my arms if you dare
              Dm7         Gm7
Or must I imagine you there

Dm/F        Cm9          Dm7  Gm7
Don't walk away from me, me
       Ebmaj7     Bb9/D  Cm7/F
I have nothing, nothing,  nothing

               Emaj7            Dbm9
Don't make me close one more   door
              Ebm7     Abm7
I don't wanna hurt anymore
Ebm/F#      Emaj7         Dbm9
Stay in my arms if  you dare
           Ebm7         Abm7
Or must I imagine you there

Ebm/F#    Dbm7             Ebm7
Don't walk away from me,   no
Abm7  Gb  Dbm7             Ebm7
Don't walk away from me,   no
       Abm7      Dbm7               Ebm7
Don’t you dare walk away from me

       Emaj7      B/D#     Dbm7/F#
I have nothing, nothing, nothing
      Gb            Emaj7  Gb7  Gb7   B
If I don't have you,    oh oh oh    oh   ohhh

End of song Play again?

Whitney Houston - I have Nothing Tabs

NotesX

Harmony analysis

Whitney Houston – I have Nothing: key and chord analysis

The song opens on G9 and ends on B. Its chords belong to both B major and G#m, so every chord below is read both ways.

Major view

B major

Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)

Characteristic notes

  • 7 = A# (leading tone, pulls home)
  • 4 = E (the note that leans on the 3rd)

Minor view

G# minor

Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)

Characteristic notes

  • b6 = E (the minor's melancholy)
  • b7 = F# (natural-minor colour)
  • #7 = G (harmonic-minor leading tone from the V chord)

Which side does the ear lean to?

Our reading: we can't honestly pick a side here — the song moves freely between B major and G# minor because it comes to rest on B, G#m is heard 4 times against 2 for B and the major V chord points straight at G#m. 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 B or to G#m; 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.

Seen from B major
Degree Chord Role Notes In song
I B/D# Tonic — home B · D# · F# 1×
I B Tonic — home B · D# · F# 1×
i7 Bm7 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key B · D · F# · A 6×
bii7 Cm7 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key C · Eb · G · Bb 4×
bII7 C9 Neapolitan bII — a dark, dramatic colour a half step above the tonicborrowed chord C · E · G · Bb · D 2×
bii7 Cm9 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key C · Eb · G · Bb · D 2×
bii7 Cm7/F Chromatic colour chordoutside the key C · Eb · G · Bb 2×
bIImaj7 Cmaj7 Neapolitan bII — a dark, dramatic colour a half step above the tonicborrowed chord C · E · G · B 1×
ii7 Dbm7 Supertonic — prepares the dominant Db · Fb · Ab · Cb 3×
ii7 Dbm9 Supertonic — prepares the dominant Db · Fb · Ab · Cb · Eb 2×
ii7 Dbm7/F# Supertonic — prepares the dominant Db · Fb · Ab · Cb 1×
biii7 Dm7 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key D · F · A · C 6×
bIII7 D7 Borrowed from the parallel minorborrowed chord D · F# · A · C 5×
biii Dm/F Chromatic colour chordoutside the key D · F · A 4×
bIII D/C Borrowed from the parallel minorborrowed chord D · F# · A 2×
iii7 Ebm7 Mediant — a tonic-family shade Eb · Gb · Bb · Db 5×
iii Ebm/F# Mediant — a tonic-family shade Eb · Gb · Bb 2×
V/vi Ebmaj7 Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Abmsecondary dominant Eb · G · Bb · D 7×
IVmaj7 Emaj7 Subdominant — moves away from home E · G# · B · D# 4×
iv7 Em7 Minor iv — borrowed from the parallel minorborrowed chord E · G · B · D 4×
iv7 Em11 Minor iv — borrowed from the parallel minorborrowed chord E · G · B · D · A 2×
#IV7 F7 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key F · A · C · Eb 1×
#IV F Chromatic colour chordoutside the key F · A · C 1×
V Gb Dominant — strongest pull home Gb · Bb · Db 2×
V7 Gb7 Dominant — strongest pull home Gb · Bb · Db · Fb 2×
bvi7 Gm7 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key G · Bb · D · F 7×
bVI7 G9 Borrowed from the parallel minorborrowed chord G · B · D · F · A 5×
vi7 Abm7 Relative minor — the melancholy side Ab · Cb · Eb · Gb 4×
bvii7 Am7 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key A · C · E · G 5×
bvii7 Am9 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key A · C · E · G · B 4×
bvii7 Am7/D Chromatic colour chordoutside the key A · C · E · G 1×
vii° A#dim Leading-tone chord — tension A# · C# · E —
V7/iii Bb9/D Secondary dominant V/iii — leads to Ebmsecondary dominant Bb · D · F · Ab · C 2×
V/iii Bb Secondary dominant V/iii — leads to Ebmsecondary dominant Bb · D · F 1×
Seen from G# minor
Degree Chord Role Notes In song
i7 Abm7 Tonic — home Ab · Cb · Eb · Gb 4×
bii7 Am7 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key A · C · E · G 5×
bii7 Am9 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key A · C · E · G · B 4×
bii7 Am7/D Chromatic colour chordoutside the key A · C · E · G 1×
ii° A#dim Supertonic — prepares the dominant A# · C# · E —
V7/v Bb9/D Secondary dominant V/v — leads to Ebmsecondary dominant Bb · D · F · Ab · C 2×
V/v Bb Secondary dominant V/v — leads to Ebmsecondary dominant Bb · D · F 1×
III B/D# Relative major — the bright side B · D# · F# 1×
III B Relative major — the bright side B · D# · F# 1×
iii7 Bm7 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key B · D · F# · A 6×
#iii7 Cm7 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key C · Eb · G · Bb 4×
#III7 C9 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key C · E · G · Bb · D 2×
#iii7 Cm9 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key C · Eb · G · Bb · D 2×
#iii7 Cm7/F Chromatic colour chordoutside the key C · Eb · G · Bb 2×
#IIImaj7 Cmaj7 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key C · E · G · B 1×
iv7 Dbm7 Subdominant — moves away from home Db · Fb · Ab · Cb 3×
iv7 Dbm9 Subdominant — moves away from home Db · Fb · Ab · Cb · Eb 2×
iv7 Dbm7/F# Subdominant — moves away from home Db · Fb · Ab · Cb 1×
#iv7 Dm7 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key D · F · A · C 6×
#IV7 D7 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key D · F# · A · C 5×
#iv Dm/F Chromatic colour chordoutside the key D · F · A 4×
#IV D/C Chromatic colour chordoutside the key D · F# · A 2×
v7 Ebm7 Minor dominant — soft pull Eb · Gb · Bb · Db 5×
v Ebm/F# Minor dominant — soft pull Eb · Gb · Bb 2×
Vmaj7 Ebmaj7 Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor Eb · G · Bb · D 7×
VImaj7 Emaj7 Submediant — warm colour E · G# · B · D# 4×
vi7 Em7 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key E · G · B · D 4×
vi7 Em11 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key E · G · B · D · A 2×
#VI7 F7 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key F · A · C · Eb 1×
#VI F Chromatic colour chordoutside the key F · A · C 1×
VII Gb Subtonic — steps back to the tonic Gb · Bb · Db 2×
VII7 Gb7 Subtonic — steps back to the tonic Gb · Bb · Db · Fb 2×
#vii7 Gm7 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key G · Bb · D · F 7×
#VII7 G9 Chromatic colour chordoutside the key G · B · D · F · A 5×

Analysis

The key pair is B major and its relative G# minor (5 sharps). 33 different chords appear 101 times in total; 11 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. The major V of G#m brings the harmonic-minor leading tone, giving the minor side a sharper, more dramatic pull; seen from B, the same Ebmaj7 is V/vi, a secondary dominant heading for G#m. Bb9/D, Bb act as secondary dominants, briefly pointing at another chord of the key. G9, D7, Em7, Em11, C9, D/C, Cmaj7 are borrowed from the parallel minor, adding a darker shade to the major side.

Chord movement

  1. Ebm7 Abm7 Biii7 → vi7 G#mv7 → i7natural-minor cadence ×4
  2. D7 G9 BbIII7 → bVI7secondary resolution G#m#IV7 → #VII7 ×2
  3. Gb7 B BV7 → Iauthentic cadence G#mVII7 → III ×1
  4. Emaj7 B/D# BIVmaj7 → Iplagal cadence G#mVImaj7 → III ×1
  5. F7 Bb B#IV7 → V/iiisecondary resolution G#m#VI7 → V/v ×1
  6. Dbm7/F# Gb Bii7 → Vii → V G#miv7 → VII ×1

The move to watch is Ebm7 → Abm7, heard 4 times. From the B side it reads iii7 → vi7; from the G#m side it is v7 → i7 (natural-minor cadence: gentle, modal arrival). Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.

Improvisation tips

  • B major pentatonic and G# minor pentatonic are the same five notes (B – C# – D# – F# – G#): start from B for a brighter phrase, from G# for a bluesier one.
  • Over Ebmaj7, land on Eb, G, Bb — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
  • Over Gm7, land on G, Bb, D — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
  • Over Bm7, land on B, D, F# — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
  • When Ebmaj7 comes, swap the scale's F# for G: that single note is the harmonic-minor sound of the chord.
  • On G9, follow the chord's notes (G · B · D · F · A) 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 B major shapes

    • Capo 2 + A shapes
    • Capo 4 + G shapes
    • Capo 7 + E shapes

    With G# minor shapes

    • Capo 4 + Em shapes
    • Capo 6 + Dm shapes

    Easiest keys on guitar

    • 2 semitones up
    • 5 semitones down · capo 5 keeps the original pitch

    The song's harmonic story

    Starting on G9, the song gives away its key from the very first bar. The backbone is Ebmaj7, Gm7, Bm7, Dm7 — V/vi–bvi7–i7–biii7 from the B side, Vmaj7–#vii7–iii7–#iv7 from the G#m side. Ebmaj7 is the interesting twist: in B it is a chromatic chord (V/vi), while in G#m it becomes the dominant (Vmaj7) that makes the minor side sound so determined. Keep an ear on Ebm7 → Abm7 (iii7 → vi7 in B, v7 → i7 in G#m): natural-minor cadence — gentle, modal arrival. The final chord is B; the ear comes to rest in B.

    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.

    Whitney Houston - I have Nothing 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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