Chords + Lyrics | ABC
Intro
||: Ab :|| (octave gtr)
Ba ba ba ba ba bo (ba ba ba ba ba bo).
Verse 1
||: Ab Db/Ab Ab Db Ab/Db Db :||
You went to school to learn girl, things you never, never knew before.
(A-ha like “I” before “E” except after “C”) and why 2 plus 2 makes 4, now, now, now.
I’m gonna teach you, (teach you, teach you).
All about love girl (all about love).
(Sit yourself down, take a seat, all you gotta do is repeat after me)
Chorus 1
||: Ab Db/Ab Ab Db Ab/Db Db :|| x3
ABC, easy as 123, as simple as Do re mi. ABC.
| Ab Eb/G Fm Db Eb Ab |
1 2 3. Baby you and me girl.
||: Ab Db/Ab Ab Db Ab/Db Db :|| x3
ABC, easy as 1 2 3, as simple as Do re mi. ABC.
| Ab Eb/G Fm Db Eb Ab |
123. Baby you and me girl.
Breakdown 1
||: N.C (Ab) :||
(Come on and love me just a little bit)
(I’m gonna teach you how to sing it out)
Come on, come on, come on, let me tell you what it’s all about.
Verse 2
Reading, writing, arithmetic, are the branches of the learning tree.
(But without the roots of love everyday girl).
Your education ain’t complete, teach, teach, teach.
Teacher’s gonna show you (she’s gonna show you).
How to get an “A” (how to get an “A”).
(How to spell “me”, “you”, add the two, listen to me baby that’s all you got to do).
Chorus 2
||: Ab Db/Ab Ab Db Ab/Db Db :|| x3
Oh, ABC, it’s easy as 123, as simple as Do re mi, ABC.
| Ab Eb/G Fm Db Eb Ab |
123. Baby you and me girl.
||: Ab Db/Ab Ab Db Ab/Db Db :|| x3
ABC, it’s easy, it’s like counting up to 3, singing simple melodies.
||: Ab Eb/G Fm Db Eb Ab :||
That’s how easy love can be, that’s how easy love can be.
Singing simple melodies, 123, you and me!
Breakdown 2
||: N.C :||
(Ya!) Sit down girl, I think I love ya’.
No, get up girl, show me what you can do.
Bridge
||: Ab Db/Ab Ab Db/Ab Ab Db/Ab :|| (bass only, octave guitar)
Shake it, shake it baby, come on now.
Shake it, shake it baby, oh, oh.
Shake it, shake it baby, ha.
123 baby, oooh oooh.
ABC baby, nah, ah.
Do re mi baby, wow.
| Ab Eb/G Fm Db Eb Ab |
That’s how easy love can be.
Chorus 3 (half)
ABC it’s easy, it’s like counting up to 3, singing simple melodies (ABC).
That’s how easy love can be.
Breakdown 3
(I’m gonna teach you how to sing it out)
Come on, come on, come on let me show you what it’s all about.
Chorus 4 (half)
ABC it’s easy, it’s like counting up to 3, singing simple melody (A B C).
That’s how easy love can be.
Breakdown 4
(I’m gonna teach you how to sing it out, sing it out, sing it out, sing it out, sing it out)
Oh, oh, oh baby.
Chorus 5 (half)
ABC it’s easy, it’s like counting up to 3, singing simple melody (A B C).
That’s how easy love can be.
ABC Backing Tracks | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning ABC. I’ve used stem separation to extract the guitar while keeping the drums, bass, keys, horns, and vocals intact.
After studying the chords and TAB, use my backing tracks to prepare for playing this tune with a band.
Should you want to play along with the original recording instead, you need to tune your guitar sharp to 443Hz. In the backing tracks, I’ve done this job for you by tuning it to 440Hz.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
At first glance, ABC may seem harmonically simple—the progression primarily moves between I–IV chords (which happens to be #1 on my Top 10 Chord Progressions list!).
However, it’s the bass line and slash chords that make it interesting.
The best way to grasp this progression is to follow the ABC chords and lyrics provided above, as they outline the structure. Trying to analyse it any other way might just overcomplicate things—let the lyrics lead the way.
In essence, there are three main sections:
- Intro + Bridge – For these sections, play an octave of Ab, during the intro there is no bass, in the bridge there is and the chords change form Ab to Db, but the octave still works
- Verse + Chorus – Again, it shifts between Ab and Db, but we play Ab Db Ab, then reverse it, Db Ab Db. At the end of the chorus, there’s a very quick turnaround.
- Breakdown sections – Most follow the Ab root (except breakdown 2, which has no bass). In breakdown 1, you can play the BV’s on he guitar.
You really need TAB to get the chord movements and rhythms right, scroll further down this lesson to find it.
When you ca play the TAB, all you need is this chord chart:
ABC Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
To download my chart can be done as a PDF, or in the iReal Pro format which is handy if you want to change the key or alter the layout.
ABC | TAB
The first part to learn is what you can play during the intro and bridge. This is an octave part on Ab — the root of Ab and the 5th of Db.
If you ever feel unsure about another section, you can always return to this simple part — it’ll work almost anywhere as teh rest of the band worry abut ABC’s chords!
Verse
The verse moves between Ab and Db, like this:
In the chords and lyrics, you’ll see that we maintain the Ab bass in the first half and the Db bass in the second. Don’t worry too much about that detail when starting out.
Chorus
The chorus begins in a similar way. You essentially play without mutes first, then with them. The only real difference here is the quick turnaround.
The second chorus is much the same — we simply repeat the turnaround at the end.
Breakdown
During the first breakdown, you can play along with the backing vocals to complement the groove.
When you can play all the TAB accurately, scroll back up tot he backing track and chord chart to play ABC with Michael and his brothers.
Michael Jackson’s 2nd hit
You might assume ABC was Michael Jackson’s first hit with The Jackson 5 (also known as The Jacksons), but by the time it was released in 1970, he was already on his second album—and second hit!
A year earlier, at just 11 years old, Michael had already made waves with I Want You Back, featured on Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5.
In ABC, Michael sings about doing his homework while being in love, a theme that resonated as he and his brothers became global stars before he had even reached his teens.
Carefully nurtured by Berry Gordy and Motown, Michael went on to release an astonishing number of hits with The Jackson 5, including The Love You Save, I’ll Be There, Blame It on the Boogie, Can You Feel It, and Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground).
This was all before he launched his legendary solo career, earning the title King of Pop and becoming the most-awarded artist in popular music history.
ABC Chords: Continue Learning
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Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
- (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher
- Blame It On The Boogie
- I Wish
- Nowhere To Run
- You Can’t Hurry Love
