Major view
Bb major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = A (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = Eb (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Christina Perri - A Thousand Years - Chord
Key Bb major – G minor Chords F, Gm, Bb, F/A, Eb, Fsus4, Bb/D, Cm Easy key G (capo 3)
No ratings yet
or your user informations
Make it yours
Text size
Key: Bb | Gm
Capo: 0
Bb F/A Gm F Eb Fsus4 F
Eb Bb/D
Heartbeat fast, colors and promises
Gm F/A Bb Eb
How to be brave, how can I love when I'm afraid
Bb/D
To fall, but watching you stand alone
Gm F/A Bb Cm
All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow
Gm F
One Step closer
Bb F/A
I have died, everyday, waiting for you
Gm F
Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you
Eb Fsus4 F
For a thousand years, I love you for a thousand more
Eb Bb/D
Time stands still, beauty in all she is
Gm F/A Bb
I will be brave, I will not let anything
Eb Bb/D
Take away, whats standing in front of me
Gm F/A Bb Cm
Every breath, every hour has come to this
F Gm F
One step closer
Bb F/A
I have died, everyday, waiting for youф
Gm F
Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you
Eb Fsus4 F
For a thousand years, I love you for a thousand more
Bb F/A
And all along I believed I would find you
Gm F
Time has brought your heart to me, and I have loved you
Eb Fsus4 F
For a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more
Bb F/A Gm F Eb Fsus4 F
Cm Gm F
One step closer
Cm F Gm F
One step closer
Bb F/A
I have died, everyday, waiting for you
Gm F
Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you
Eb Fsus4 F
For a thousand years, I love you for a thousand more
Bb F/A
And all along I believed I would find you
Gm F
Time has brought your heart to me, and I have loved you
Eb F
For a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more
End of song Play again?
Christina Perri - A Thousand Years Tabs
/videos/christina-perri-a-thousand-years-tab.mp4
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Christina Perri – A Thousand Years: key and chord analysis
The song opens on Bb and ends on F. Its chords belong to both Bb major and Gm, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
G minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = Eb (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = F (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the Bb major side because it opens on Bb. That is an interpretation, not a rule — hearing the same chords from G minor is just as valid and teaches you something different.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to Bb or to Gm; 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 | Bb | Tonic — home | Bb · D · F | 11× |
| I | Bb/D | Tonic — home | Bb · D · F | 4× |
| ii | Cm | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | C · Eb · G | 4× |
| iii | Dm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | D · F · A | — |
| V/vi | D | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Gmsecondary dominant | D · F# · A | — |
| IV | Eb | Subdominant — moves away from home | Eb · G · Bb | 11× |
| V | F | Dominant — strongest pull home | F · A · C | 20× |
| V | F/A | Dominant — strongest pull home | F · A · C | 11× |
| Vsus4 | Fsus4 | Dominant — strongest pull home | F · Bb · C | 6× |
| vi | Gm | Relative minor — the melancholy side | G · Bb · D | 15× |
| vii° | Adim | Leading-tone chord — tension | A · C · Eb | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Gm | Tonic — home | G · Bb · D | 15× |
| ii° | Adim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | A · C · Eb | — |
| III | Bb | Relative major — the bright side | Bb · D · F | 11× |
| III | Bb/D | Relative major — the bright side | Bb · D · F | 4× |
| iv | Cm | Subdominant — moves away from home | C · Eb · G | 4× |
| v | Dm | Minor dominant — soft pull | D · F · A | — |
| V | D | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | D · F# · A | — |
| VI | Eb | Submediant — warm colour | Eb · G · Bb | 11× |
| VII | F | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | F · A · C | 20× |
| VII | F/A | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | F · A · C | 11× |
| VIIsus4 | Fsus4 | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | F · Bb · C | 6× |
Analysis
The key pair is Bb major and its relative G minor (2 flats). 8 different chords appear 82 times in total; 8 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
- F/A Gm BbV → videceptive cadence GmVII → iAeolian arrival ×7
- F Bb BbV → Iauthentic cadence GmVII → III ×6
- Eb Fsus4 BbIV → Vsus4IV → V GmVI → VIIsus4VI → VII ×6
- F/A Bb BbV → Iauthentic cadence GmVII → III ×4
- Eb Bb/D BbIV → Iplagal cadence GmVI → III ×4
- Cm Gm Bbii → vi Gmiv → iminor plagal ×2
The move to watch is F/A → Gm, heard 7 times. From the Bb side it reads V → vi (deceptive cadence: expected Bb, lands on Gm); from the Gm side it is VII → i (Aeolian arrival: rises a whole tone into home). Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- Bb major pentatonic and G minor pentatonic are the same five notes (Bb – C – D – F – G): start from Bb for a brighter phrase, from G for a bluesier one.
- Over F, land on F, A, C — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Gm, land on G, Bb, D — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Bb, land on Bb, D, F — 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 Bb major shapes
- Capo 1 + A shapes
- Capo 3 + G shapes
- Capo 6 + E shapes
With G minor shapes
- Capo 3 + Em shapes
- Capo 5 + Dm shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
- 3 semitones down · capo 3 keeps the original pitch
- 2 semitones up
The song's harmonic story
Starting on Bb, the song gives away its key from the very first bar. The chords that keep coming back are F, Gm, Bb, F/A; read them as V–vi–I–V in Bb or VII–i–III–VII in Gm. No chord leaves the shared scale, so a single pentatonic shape works over the whole song. Keep an ear on F/A → Gm (V → vi in Bb, VII → i in Gm): deceptive cadence — expected Bb, lands on Gm. The final chord is F; the ear comes to rest in Bb.
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.
Christina Perri - A Thousand Years 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.