Major view
C major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = B (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = F (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Jennifer Lopez - Love Don't Cost A Thing - Chord
Key C major – A minor Chords Am, Em Difficulty already in its easiest key
No ratings yet
or your user informations
Make it yours
Text size
Key: C | Am
Capo: 0
Am Em
Am
You think you gotta keep me iced you don't
Em
You think I'm gonna spend your cash I won't
Even if you were broke
Am
My love don't cost a thing
Think I wanna drive your Benz I don't
Em
If I wanna floss I got my own
Even if you were broke
Am
My love don't cost a thing
Am
When you rolled up in the Escalade
Saw that truck you gave to the valet
Em
Knew that it was game when you looked at me
Pulling up your sleeve so I could see the Rolley bling
Am
Saw you later in the corner booth
Raising up a toast so I would notice you
Em
But your heart's a mess
Think you outta know
Am
Doesn't matter if you're balling out of control
Am
All that matter's is
That you treat me right
Em
Give me all the things I need
That money can't buy yeah
Am
You think you gotta keep me iced you don't
Em
You think I'm gonna spend your cash I won't
Even if you were broke
Am
My love don't cost a thing
Think I wanna drive your Benz I don't
Em
If I wanna floss I got my own
Even if you were broke
Am
My love don't cost a thing
Am
When I took a chance
Thought you'd understand
Baby credit cards aren't romance
Em
So you're tryna buy what's already yours
What I need from is not available in stores
Am
Seen a side of you that I really feel
Doing way too much, never keep it real
Em
If it doesn't change, gotta hit the road
Now I'm leaving, where's my keys?
Am
I've got to go
Am
All that matter's is
That you treat me right
Em
Give me all the things I need
That money can't buy yeah
Am
You think you gotta keep me iced you don't
Em
You think I'm gonna spend your cash I won't
Even if you were broke
Am
My love don't cost a thing
Think I wanna drive your Benz I don't
Em
If I wanna floss I got my own
Even if you were broke
Am
My love don't cost a thing
Am
A thing, a thing, a thing
Em
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Am
You think the money that you make
Can substitute the time you take
Em
Take the keys here to my heart
Then you can win my heart, and get what's in my heart
Am
I think you need to take some time
To show me that your love is true
Em
There's more than dollar signs in you
Then you can win my heart, and get what's in my heart
Am
You think you gotta keep me iced you don't
Em
You think I'm gonna spend your cash I won't
Even if you were broke
Am
My love don't cost a thing
Think I wanna drive your Benz I don't
Em
If I wanna floss I got my own
Even if you were broke
Am
My love don't cost a thing
Am
You think you gotta keep me iced you don't
Em
You think I'm gonna spend your cash I won't
Even if you were broke
Am
My love don't cost a thing
Think I wanna drive your Benz I don't
Em
If I wanna floss I got my own
Even if you were broke
Am
My love don't cost a thing
Am
You think you gotta keep me iced you don't
Em
You think I'm gonna spend your cash I won't
Even if you were broke
Am
My love don't cost a thing
Think I wanna drive your Benz I don't
Em
If I wanna floss I got my own
Even if you were broke
Am
My love don't cost a thing
End of song Play again?
Jennifer Lopez - Love Don't Cost A Thing Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Jennifer Lopez – Love Don't Cost A Thing: key and chord analysis
The song opens on Am and ends on Am. Its chords belong to both C major and Am, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
A minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = F (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = G (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the A minor side because it both starts and finishes on Am and Am is heard 30 times while C never appears. That is an interpretation, not a rule — the same chords are just as valid seen from C 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 C or to Am; 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 | C | Tonic — home | C · E · G | — |
| ii | Dm | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | D · F · A | — |
| iii | Em | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | E · G · B | 22× |
| V/vi | E | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Amsecondary dominant | E · G# · B | — |
| IV | F | Subdominant — moves away from home | F · A · C | — |
| V | G | Dominant — strongest pull home | G · B · D | — |
| vi | Am | Relative minor — the melancholy side | A · C · E | 30× |
| vii° | Bdim | Leading-tone chord — tension | B · D · F | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Am | Tonic — home | A · C · E | 30× |
| ii° | Bdim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | B · D · F | — |
| III | C | Relative major — the bright side | C · E · G | — |
| iv | Dm | Subdominant — moves away from home | D · F · A | — |
| v | Em | Minor dominant — soft pull | E · G · B | 22× |
| V | E | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | E · G# · B | — |
| VI | F | Submediant — warm colour | F · A · C | — |
| VII | G | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | G · B · D | — |
Analysis
The key pair is C major and its relative A minor (no sharps or flats). 2 different chords appear 52 times in total; 2 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
- Em Am Ciii → vi Amv → inatural-minor cadence ×22
The move to watch is Em → Am, heard 22 times. From the Am side it is v → i (natural-minor cadence: gentle, modal arrival); from the C side it reads iii → vi. Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- C major pentatonic and A minor pentatonic are the same five notes (C – D – E – G – A): start from C for a brighter phrase, from A for a bluesier one.
- Over Am, land on A, C, E — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Em, 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 C major shapes
- No capo — open C shapes
- Capo 3 + A shapes
- Capo 5 + G shapes
With A minor shapes
- No capo — open Am shapes
- Capo 5 + Em shapes
- Capo 7 + Dm shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
The song is already written in its easiest key for guitar.
The song's harmonic story
Starting on Am, the song gives away its key from the very first bar. Am, Em carry the song: vi–iii relative to C, i–v relative to Am. No chord leaves the shared scale, so a single pentatonic shape works over the whole song. Keep an ear on Em → Am (iii → vi in C, v → i in Am): natural-minor cadence — gentle, modal arrival. Ending on Am, the song seals Am 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.
Jennifer Lopez - Love Don't Cost A Thing 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.
Find something to play next
Ready-made lists by difficulty and mood.
Report error for this content report.
All copyrights belong to their respective owners. If you think this content contains copyright infringement, please contact us.