Major view
D major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = C# (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = G (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Chic - Good Times - Chord
Key D major – B minor Chords Em7, A7, E7, Dmaj7 Difficulty already in its easiest key
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Key: D | Bm
Capo: 0
Em7 E7 A7 Dmaj7
Em7
Good times
E7 A7
These are the good times
Dmaj7 Em7
Leave your cares behind
E7 A7 Dmaj7
These are the good times
Em7
Good times
E7 A7
These are the good times
Dmaj7 Em7
Our new state of mind
E7 A7 Dmaj7
These are the good times
Em7
Happy days
Are here again
A7
The time is right
For makin' friends
Em7
Let's get together
How 'bout a quarter to ten
A7
Come tomorrow
Let's all do it again
Em7
Boys will be boys
Better let them have their toys
A7
Girls will be girls
Cute pony tails and curls
Em7
Must put an end
To this stress and strife
A7
I think I want
To live the sporting life
Em7
Good times
E7 A7
These are the good times
Dmaj7 Em7
Leave your cares behind
E7 A7 Dmaj7
These are the good times
Em7
Good times
E7 A7
These are the good times
Dmaj7 Em7
Our new state of mind
E7 A7 Dmaj7
These are the good times
Em7
A rumor has it that
It's getting late
A7
Time marches on
Just can't wait
Em7
The clock keeps turning
Why hesitate
A7
You silly fool
You can't change your fate
Em7
Let's cug the rug
A little jive and jitterbug
A7
We want the best
We won't settle for less
Em7
Don't be a drag
Participate
A7
Clams on the half shell
And roller skates, roller skates
Em7
Good times
E7 A7
These are the good times
Dmaj7 Em7
Leave your cares behind
E7 A7 Dmaj7
These are the good times
Em7
Good times
E7 A7
These are the good times
Dmaj7 Em7
Our new state of mind
E7 A7 Dmaj7
These are the good times
Em7 E7 A7 Dmaj7
End of song Play again?
Chic - Good Times Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Chic – Good Times: key and chord analysis
The song opens on Em7 and ends on Dmaj7. Its chords belong to both D major and Bm, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
B minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = G (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = A (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the D major side because it comes to rest on D and D is heard 14 times while Bm never appears. That is an interpretation, not a rule — hearing the same chords from B minor is just as valid and teaches you something different.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to D or to Bm; 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imaj7 | Dmaj7 | Tonic — home | D · F# · A · C# | 14× |
| ii7 | Em7 | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | E · G · B · D | 22× |
| V7/V | E7 | Secondary dominant V/V — leads to Asecondary dominant | E · G# · B · D | 14× |
| iii | F#m | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | F# · A · C# | — |
| III | F# | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | F# · A# · C# | — |
| IV | G | Subdominant — moves away from home | G · B · D | — |
| V7 | A7 | Dominant — strongest pull home | A · C# · E · G | 22× |
| vi | Bm | Relative minor — the melancholy side | B · D · F# | — |
| vii° | C#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | C# · E · G | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Bm | Tonic — home | B · D · F# | — |
| ii° | C#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | C# · E · G | — |
| IIImaj7 | Dmaj7 | Relative major — the bright side | D · F# · A · C# | 14× |
| iv7 | Em7 | Subdominant — moves away from home | E · G · B · D | 22× |
| IV7 | E7 | Major IV — Dorian / melodic-minor colourmodal colour | E · G# · B · D | 14× |
| v | F#m | Minor dominant — soft pull | F# · A · C# | — |
| V | F# | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | F# · A# · C# | — |
| VI | G | Submediant — warm colour | G · B · D | — |
| VII7 | A7 | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | A · C# · E · G | 22× |
Analysis
The key pair is D major and its relative B minor (2 sharps). 4 different chords appear 72 times in total; 3 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. E7 acts as a secondary dominant, briefly pointing at another chord of the key.
Chord movement
- A7 Dmaj7 DV7 → Imaj7authentic cadence BmVII7 → IIImaj7 ×14
- E7 A7 DV7/V → V7secondary resolution BmIV7 → VII7 ×14
- Em7 A7 Dii7 → V7ii → V Bmiv7 → VII7 ×8
The move to watch is A7 → Dmaj7, heard 14 times. From the D side it reads V7 → Imaj7 (authentic cadence: the strongest arrival home); from the Bm side it is VII7 → IIImaj7. Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- D major pentatonic and B minor pentatonic are the same five notes (D – E – F# – A – B): start from D for a brighter phrase, from B for a bluesier one.
- Over Em7, land on E, G, B — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over A7, land on A, C#, E — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over E7, land on E, G#, B — 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 D major shapes
- No capo — open D shapes
- Capo 2 + C shapes
- Capo 5 + A shapes
With B minor shapes
- Capo 2 + Am shapes
- Capo 7 + Em shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
The song is already written in its easiest key for guitar.
The song's harmonic story
Starting on Em7, the song gives away its key from the very first bar. The chords that keep coming back are Em7, A7, E7, Dmaj7; read them as ii7–V7–V7/V–Imaj7 in D or iv7–VII7–IV7–IIImaj7 in Bm. E7 adds a moment of surprise: secondary dominant V/V — leads to A. Keep an ear on A7 → Dmaj7 (V7 → Imaj7 in D, VII7 → IIImaj7 in Bm): authentic cadence — the strongest arrival home. The final chord is Dmaj7; the ear comes to rest in D.
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.
Chic - Good Times 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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