Chords + Lyrics | Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now
Intro
||: Ab11 | Ab11 :|| x3
| F7sus4 | F7sus4 |
Chorus 1
||: Bbm7 | Cm7 Fm7 :||
Ain’t no stoppin’ us now, we’re on the move!
Ain’t no stoppin’ us now, we’ve got the groove!
Ain’t no stoppin’ us now, we’re on the move!
Ain’t no stoppin’ us now, we’ve got the groove!
Verse 1
||: Bbm7 | Cm7 Fm7 :||
There’s been so many things that’s held us down,
but now it looks like things are finally comin’ around.
I know we’ve got, a long, long way to go,
and where we’ll end up, I don’t know.
But we won’t let nothin’ hold us back, we’re putting ourselves together,
we’re polishing up our act, yeah.
If you felt we’ve been held down before,
I know you’ll refuse to be held down any more, well.
Bridge 1
| Ab11 | Ab11 | Ab11 | Ab11 |
Don’t you let nothing, nothing. Stand in your way!
| Ab11 | Ab11 | F7sus4 | F7sus4 |
I want ya’ll to listen, listen. To every word I say, every word I say!
Chorus 2
Ain’t no stoppin’ us now, (no-o) we’re on the move! (huh)
Ain’t no stoppin’ us now, we’ve got the groove! (huh)
Ain’t no stoppin’ us now, we’re on the move! (I know, I know)
Ain’t no stoppin’ us now, we’ve got the groove! (We’ve got it)
Verse 2
I know you know someone that has a negative vow,
and if you’re trying to make it they only push you aside.
They really don’t have, nowhere to go,
ask them where they’re going, they don’t know.
But we won’t let nothin’ hold us back, we’re gonna put ourselves together,
we’re gonna polish up our act, now.
And if you’ve ever been held down before,
I know you’ll refuse to be held down any more, well.
Bridge 2
Don’t you let nothing, nothing. Stand in your way, hell.
I want ya’ll to listen, listen. To every word I say, every word I say!
Chorus 3
||: Bbm7 | Cm7 Fm7 :||
Ain’t no stoppin’ us now, (no, no, no) we’re on the move! (we’re movin’, we’re groovin’).
Ain’t no stoppin’ us now, (we’re movin’, yeah) we’ve got the groove! (we’re groovin’, movin’, movin’, movin’, move!).
Ain’t no stoppin’ us now, we’re on the move! (I know, we hit the groove).
Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now Backing Tracks | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now. 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.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
For that slick R&B/Disco sound, 11 chords are essential — I’ve found them everywhere while working through this repertoire over the past 20 years and Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now take full advantage of at least one – let’s discover more!
Intro
The intro kicks off with an Ab11 followed by an F7sus4, which closely resembles an F11. The trick here is that we hide the 3rd in both chords — are they minor or major? This same progression reappears later in the bridge.
The genius of the Ab11 – F7sus4 movement is that we can’t tell where the key centre lies, which is an important stylistic feature. The uncertainty and lack of resolution make us want to dance.
Verse + Chorus
Certain chord combinations provide crucial insights when analysing progressions and determining the key. A common one is two minor chords a tone apart — this must be II and III, as no other combination fits. Recognising such patterns is an essential skill for any musician. For more on this, check out my Top 10 Chord Progressions.
In Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now, the verse and chorus share the same progression: Bbm7 (chord II), Cm7 (chord III), and Fm7 (chord VI) — the same chords as a minor blues, just in a different order.
At this point, we reveal that the hidden 3rd from the opening F7sus4 was, in fact, minor. Together, these elements place us in the key of Fm/Ab.
What’s particularly interesting about Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now’s chords is that the Ab11 is a modal interchange. Everything points to Fm/Ab, but the Ab11 says Mixolydian, not Ionian!
Again, the harmonic landscape thrives on tension without resolution. Even the Fm7, which could offer release, is placed at the end of the two-bar loop so it doesn’t feel resolved:
||: Bbm7 | Cm7 Fm7 :||
Now that you’re familiar with the chord movements, the question is: what will you actually play? My TAB has all the answers — check it out further down this lesson.
Once you’ve mastered the TAB, use the chord chart as your guide when playing it with a band.
Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now Chord Chart | PDF + iRealPro Download
You can download my chord chart, share it with your band mates and consequentially always get the arrangement right – you’ll be unstoppable then!
Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now | TAB
Let’s work our way through all sections of Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now — a standard among working bands aiming to get their audience dancing!
Intro + Bridge
Here’s a first simple idea. The Ab11 is usually played with the root on string 6 — here we put it on string 1 instead. Notice how we stop slightly earlier when playing the F7sus4. Tiny details like this make a big difference.
The next concept is to play along with the bass before hitting the chord, ending early again. For the F7sus4, add some quick 16th-note strums at the end.
Next, we play plenty of notes! Start slowly, make sure you get it exactly as written before bringing it up to speed and playing along with the backing tracks.
Spend extra time on this intro since, when it returns as the bridge, you can blend these ideas freely.
Chorus
Here’s the first idea for the chorus. By using plenty of space, we create a strong groove and leave room for the vocals.
The next idea is similar but with a few extra rhythmic hits.
In the final version, we add muted strums to create a steady flow of 16th notes.
Once you can play these with the recording, start blending them naturally to suit the energy of the performance.
Verse
Although the verse uses the same chords, we play it differently to create a distinct feel. Here’s the first idea — make sure the final hit aligns perfectly with the snare.
Next, we add more rhythmic activity.
Finally, we change it up completely for a new texture.
When you can play all this TAB confidently, try it with the backing tracks.
When the deeper hidden meaning turns out to be shallow
Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now is an interesting example of how a song’s deeper meaning can sometimes be misinterpreted as something more profound than intended.
The track is the most successful single by the R&B/disco duo McFadden & Whitehead. The pair met in school, formed a band, and toured with Otis Redding in the late 1960s.
After Otis’s tragic death, they shifted towards songwriting and production, penning hits for artists like The O’Jays.
Following some moderate success, they wrote Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now, which became an anthem for the Black community, symbolising past struggles and resilience.
However, it was later revealed that the song was actually about the duo’s own personal journey. Frustrated with their behind-the-scenes roles, they wanted to step into the spotlight as performers.
In truth, the lyrics expressed their reluctance to write another hit for The O’Jays — not a commentary on slavery.
This is a perfect example of how a song’s “deeper hidden meaning” can sometimes be misinterpreted. In the case of Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now, the hidden meaning was more personal than political.
Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now Chords: Continue Learning
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