Four chords, a lot of songs
Four chords. A lot of songs.
These songs share the same small set of shapes. The key and capo tell you where to put them; the progression tells you the order. No lyrics, no tab — the rhythm comes from the record.
Open chords
Perfect
Ed Sheeran · A♭ · Capo 1
Four open shapes; the capo puts the song in A♭. Start here if you want an easy win.
Open chords
Zombie
The Cranberries · E minor · No capo
The same four chords cycle through the song. Let the open strings ring.
Open chords
Wagon Wheel
Old Crow Medicine Show · A · Capo 2
With a capo at the 2nd fret, the shapes are all open. The chorus and verse share the loop.
One barre
With or Without You
U2 · D · No capo
The Bm is the only barre. Use the four-string Bm or Bm7 while you build it.
One barre
I'm Yours
Jason Mraz · C (simplified) · No capo
The F is the hard part. The three-string F or Fmaj7 gets you playing the loop sooner.
One barre
Save Tonight
Eagle-Eye Cherry · C · No capo
Same four chords all the way through. Use an easy F while the full barre develops.
One barre
Stay With Me
Sam Smith · C · No capo
A slow four-chord loop with one F. The rhythm is forgiving; focus on clean changes.
One barre
Someone Like You
Adele · A · No capo
This is the simplified core; the record adds passing chords. The F♯m is a barre.
Titles, artists and progressions only. No lyrics or tablature. For the rhythm, listen to the record; for the shapes, open the chord pages.
Why these four chords keep working
A four-chord song is not automatically easy, but it removes one decision: the harmony is already a loop. Once the shapes are clean, the work is the change and the rhythm. These eight songs give you different corners of the same small map.
The most common loop is I–V–vi–IV. In C that is C–G–Am–F. Shift the same shapes or add a capo, and the loop changes key without changing the feel. The other three progressions here — I–vi–IV–V, vi–IV–I–V and i–VI–III–VII — cover most of the rest.
How to use the list
- Pick one open-chord song first: Perfect, Zombie or Wagon Wheel.
- Set the capo if the song calls for one; tune after clamping it.
- Play the four chords slowly, in order, until the changes are clean.
- Play along with the record; use the recording for the rhythm, not this page.
- Only then add a one-barre song such as With or Without You or Stay With Me.
The player above is a reference for the chord order, not a backing track. It plays the shapes as written; the capo songs will sound in the shape key, not the concert key.
Four shapes, four progressions
I–V–vi–IV
The four-chord pop loop. In C: C–G–Am–F.
Hear it in any keyI–vi–IV–V
The doo-wop turn. In G: G–Em–C–D.
Hear it in any keyvi–IV–I–V
The minor-first loop. In C: Am–F–C–G.
Hear it in any keyi–VI–III–VII
The minor-key cycle. In Em: Em–C–G–D.
Hear it in any keyWhat if F or Bm is still difficult?
Do not let one chord keep you out of the song. For the F songs, use the three-string F or another easy F option. For With or Without You, use the four-string Bm while the full barre develops. The song stays the same; the shape gets smaller.
Choose a key for your voice
The chord names are not sacred. If the song feels too high or too low, move the capo or transpose the progression. The roman numerals stay fixed: a I–V–vi–IV song remains I–V–vi–IV in every key. Use the capo chart to find a shape/key combination that fits.
No lyrics, no tabs
This page gives titles, keys, capos and chord progressions. It does not reproduce lyrics or tablature. Play the progression with the record; the rhythm and the arrangement are what you learn by listening.
Frequently asked questions
Are these songs really four chords?
These are four-chord cores, not full transcriptions. Some recordings add passing chords or a different chorus. The listed loop is enough to play the song's main sections; the player uses the shapes shown.
Why are there no lyrics or tabs?
The page teaches the progression and the shapes. Lyrics and tablature are copyrighted; the rhythm comes from the recording. Learn the loop, then play along with the record.
Which song should I start with?
Start with Perfect, Zombie or Wagon Wheel. They use open shapes. Wagon Wheel needs a capo at the 2nd fret. Add the one-barre songs after your F and Bm are dependable.
Can I change the key?
Yes. Move the capo or transpose the shapes to fit your voice. The roman numerals stay the same; the chord names change. The capo chart shows the shape-to-sound relationship.
What if I cannot play F or Bm yet?
Use the easy F options for the F songs, and the four-string Bm for With or Without You. Bm7 is a substitute only when the song tolerates the added seventh.