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)
James Arthur - Say You Won't Let Go - Chord
Key Bb major – G minor Chords Bb, F, Gm, Eb Easy key G (capo 3)
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Key: Bb | Gm
Capo: 0
Bb F Gm Eb Bb I met you in the dark F You lit me up Gm You made me feel as though Eb I was enough Bb We danced the night away F We drank too much Gm I held your hair back when Eb You were throwing up Bb Then you smiled over your shoulder F For a minute, I was stone cold sober Gm Eb I pulled you closer to my chest Bb And you asked me to stay over F I said, I already told ya Gm Eb I think that you should get some rest Bb I knew I loved you then F But you'd never know Gm Cause I played it cool when I was Eb Scared of letting go Bb I know I needed you F But I never showed Gm But I wanna stay with you Eb Until we're grey and old Bb F Just say you won't let go Gm Eb Just say you won't let go Bb I wake you up with some F Breakfast in bed Gm I'll bring you coffee with a Eb kiss on your head Bb And I'll take the kids to school F Wave them goodbye Gm And I'll thank my lucky stars for Eb That night Bb When you looked over your shoulder F For a minute, I forget that I'm older Gm Eb I wanna dance with you right now, oh Bb And you look as beautiful as ever F And I swear that everyday you'll get better Gm Eb You make me feel this way somehow Bb I'm so in love with you F And I hope you know Gm Darling your love is more than worth its Eb Weight in gold Bb We've come so far my dear F Look how we've grown Gm And I wanna stay with you Eb Until we're grey and old Bb F Just say you won't let go Gm Eb Just say you won't let go Bb I wanna live with you F Even when we're ghosts Gm Cause you were always there for me Eb When I needed you most Bb I'm gonna love you till F My lungs give out Gm I promise till death we part Eb Like in our vows Bb So I wrote this song for you F Now everybody knows Gm That it's just you and me Eb Until we're grey and old Bb F Just say you won't let go Gm Eb Just say you won't let go Bb F Just say you won't let go Gm Eb Oh, just say you won't let go
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James Arthur - Say You Won't Let Go Tabs
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Harmony analysis
James Arthur – Say You Won't Let Go: key and chord analysis
The song opens on Bb and ends on Eb. 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 | 20× |
| ii | Cm | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | C · Eb · G | — |
| 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 | 20× |
| V | F | Dominant — strongest pull home | F · A · C | 20× |
| vi | Gm | Relative minor — the melancholy side | G · Bb · D | 20× |
| vii° | Adim | Leading-tone chord — tension | A · C · Eb | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Gm | Tonic — home | G · Bb · D | 20× |
| ii° | Adim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | A · C · Eb | — |
| III | Bb | Relative major — the bright side | Bb · D · F | 20× |
| iv | Cm | Subdominant — moves away from home | C · Eb · G | — |
| 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 | 20× |
| VII | F | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | F · A · C | 20× |
Analysis
The key pair is Bb major and its relative G minor (2 flats). 4 different chords appear 80 times in total; 4 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 Gm BbV → videceptive cadence GmVII → iAeolian arrival ×20
- Eb Bb BbIV → Iplagal cadence GmVI → III ×19
The move to watch is F → Gm, heard 20 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 Bb, land on Bb, D, F — 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.
- Over Gm, land on G, Bb, D — 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
- 1 semitone down · capo 1 keeps the original pitch
The song's harmonic story
The first chord is Bb; the ear learns where home is within a second. Bb, F, Gm, Eb carry the song: I–V–vi–IV relative to Bb, III–VII–i–VI relative to Gm. No chord leaves the shared scale, so a single pentatonic shape works over the whole song. Keep an ear on F → Gm (V → vi in Bb, VII → i in Gm): deceptive cadence — expected Bb, lands on Gm. It closes on Eb, letting the Bb side have the last word.
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.
James Arthur - Say You Won't Let Go 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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