Ain’t No Sunshine | Chords + Lyrics
Verse 1
| N.C | Am7 Em G5 |
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone,
| Am7 | Am7 Em G5 |
it’s not warm when she’s away.
| Am7 | Em7 |
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone, she always gone too long
| Dm7 | Am7 Em G5 |
anytime she goes away.
Verse 2
| Am7 | Am7 Em G5 |
Wonder this time where she’s gone,
| Am7 | Am7 Em G5 |
wonder if she’s gone to stay.
| Am7 | Em7 |
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone, and this house just ain’t no home,
| Dm7 | Am7 Em G5 |
anytime she goes away.
Bridge
||: N.C :||
And I know, I know, I know… (x27)
| N.C |
Hey, I oughta leave the young thing alone,
| N.C | Am7 Em G5 |
but ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone.
Verse 3
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone,
only darkness every day.
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone, this house just ain’t no home,
anytime she goes away.
Outro
||: Am7 | Am7 Em G5 :|| Ammaj9 |
Anytime she goes away, anytime she goes away, anytime she goes away.
Ain’t No Sunshine: Understanding the Chord Progressions
Starting with chord VI, the home chord of this tune, we are in the key of A minor when playing the chords for Ain’t No Sunshine.
This Am chord has been extended—without breaking any harmonic rules—into a minor 7 chord.
During a two-bar loop, we quickly move from chord III (an Em chord) to chord V (a G chord) before returning to Am7.
You could view this as a bassline descending to the 5th and then the b7 of an Am chord. These changes are so subtle yet impactful.
What Bill Withers has done here is modify an 8-bar minor blues progression. In its simplest form, the progression would look like this:
| Am (VI) | Am | Am | Am |
| Em (III) | Dm (II) | Am | Am |
When playing Ain’t No Sunshine on a single acoustic guitar, this movement is developed using the chords Em–G5, as shown below:
| Am7 Em G5 | Am7 | Am7 Em G5 | Am7 |
| Em | Dm7 | Am7 Em G5 | Am7 |
When a second guitar is added, we play a full G chord instead of just G5.
When you’re ready to play Ain’t No Sunshine and add it to your repertoire, a simple chord chart is all you need. Here’s one I made for you:
Ain’t No Sunshine Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
I didn’t include G5 in the chord chart, as it only applies when the song is played on a single guitar. As mentioned, the second guitar plays a full G chord.
The final chord, Ammaj9, is also played by the second guitar. Check the video in the playlist at the top of this page to see how I fret it.
If you’d like to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Ain’t No Sunshine chord chart PDF.
This chart was created using iRealPro. Here’s a link to that file: Ain’t No Sunshine chord chart iReal Pro. Using the app, you can easily transpose the song to a different key.
In the course, we explore tablature and play along with loops to learn Ain’t No Sunshine in greater depth. Below is a preview.
Ain’t No Sunshine TAB | Course Preview
In the Acoustic Beginner Course, you’ll learn to play Ain’t No Sunshine fingerstyle. We’ll achieve this by working on three fingerstyle practice songs to master the patterns.
Once we’ve established the basics of fingerstyle playing, we’ll learn Ain’t No Sunshine as I play it in the video above.
By now, we’re at step 4 of the Ain’t No Sunshine lesson series. As shown in the video, we practice with loops to learn the various sections.
Here’s the tablature (TAB) for the first example we practice (play along with the video to get a feel for how it works):
After a few more loops, you’ll be ready to play the complete song just like I do.
In the later steps of the series, we’ll develop a second guitar part played with a pick. You’ll find a full performance of this in the playlist at the top of this page.
Learning this second guitar part means that you, I, and a singer can perform Ain’t No Sunshine together, like an acoustic trio.
Here’s a link to the 8 step-by-step guitar lessons: Ain’t No Sunshine – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Ain’t No Sunshine was Bill Withers’s first B-side and hit!
Originally released as a B-side in 1971 to his first single, Harlem, it didn’t take long for DJs to flip the record and start playing Ain’t No Sunshine instead. The following year, it won a Grammy for Best Rhythm and Blues Song.
Bill Withers was fortunate to work with one of the best producers of the time, Booker T. Jones, who brought experience and a knack for crafting great recordings.
Booker T. Jones, the house bandleader for Stax Records, enlisted his team for the session. However, for this recording, Stephen Stills played guitar instead of Steve Cropper.
Bill’s debut album, Just As I Am (1971), was recorded in just four three-hour sessions—a testament to the skill of both the producer and his band.
Since its release, many artists have covered Ain’t No Sunshine, cementing it as a modern standard that musicians are expected to know.
Michael Jackson released his version in 1972, allowing the song to chart two years in a row. Paul McCartney covered it in 1991, followed by Eva Cassidy in 1993.
Another notable version comes from John Mayer, and countless working musicians have played the song live.
Ain’t No Sunshine has firmly established itself as one of the most memorable songs of all time. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it #280 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Ain’t No Sunshine Chords: Continue Learning
The final song in the beginner course is played fingerstyle. First, you’ll work through three practice songs to build your skills.
Once you’ve mastered these, Ain’t No Sunshine’s arrangement will come naturally. Finally, we’ll develop a second guitar part and perform the song together as a band.
Start learning with the full lesson series: Ain’t No Sunshine – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy: