Chords + Lyrics | Build Me Up Buttercup
Intro
| C | E | F | G |
| Csus4 C | Ddim7/E E (E7) | F | G | G |
Chorus 1
| Csus4 C | Ddim7/E E (E7) |
Why do you build me up (build me up). Buttercup, baby.
| F | G7 G6 G |
Just to let me down (let me down). And mess me around.
| Csus4 C | Ddim7/E E (E7) |
And then worst of all (worst of all). You never call baby.
| F | G7 (G6) |
When you say you will (say you will). But I love you still.
| C | C7 |
I need you (I need you). More than anyone, darling,
| F | Fm |
you know that I have from the start.
| C | G | F Em Dm C | G |
So build me up (build me up), Buttercup, don’t break my heart.
Verse 1
| C G | Bb F | C |
“I’ll be over at ten”, you told me time and again but you’re late.
| F |
I wait around and then (ba-dah-dah).
| C G | Bb F | C |
I went to the door, I can’t take any more it’s not you.
| F C/E |
You let me down again (Hey, hey, hey).
Bridge 1
| Dm | G F |
Baby, baby, I try to find (hey, hey, hey).
| Em | A G |
A little time and I’ll make you happy (hey, hey, hey).
| F | D7 | G |
I’ll be home, I’ll be beside the phone waiting for you.
| N.C | N.C | G |
Ooh ooh, you ooh ooh.
Chorus 2
Why do you build me up (build me up). Buttercup, baby.
Just to let me down (let me down). And mess me around.
And then worst of all (worst of all). You never call baby.
When you say you will (say you will). But I love you still.
I need you (I need you). More than anyone, darling,
you know that I have from the start.
So build me up (build me up), Buttercup, don’t break my heart.
Verse 2
To you I’m a toy, but I could be the boy you adore.
If you’d just let me know (Ba-dah-dah).
Although you’re untrue, I’m attracted to you all the more.
Why do you treat me so? (Hey, hey, hey).
Bridge 2
Baby, baby, I try to find (Hey, hey, hey).
A little time and I’ll make you happy (Hey, hey, hey).
I’ll be home, I’ll be beside the phone waiting for.
You ooh ooh, you ooh ooh.
Chorus 3
| Csus4 C | Ddim7/E E (E7) |
Why do you build me up (build me up). Buttercup, baby.
| F | G7 G6 G |
Just to let me down (let me down). And mess me around.
| Csus4 C | Ddim7/E E (E7) |
And then worst of all (worst of all). You never call baby.
| F | G7 (G6) |
When you say you will (say you will). But I love you still.
| C | C7 |
I need you (I need you). More than anyone, darling,
| F | Fm |
you know that I have from the start.
Outro
| C | G | A | A7 |
So build me up (build me up), Buttercup, don’t break my heart.
| D | D/F# | G | Gm |
I need you (I need you). More than anyone, darling, you know that I have from the start.
| D | A | G F#m Em D |
So build me up (build me up), Buttercup, don’t break my heart.
Build Me Up Buttercup Chords: A Deep Dive into the Musical Progressions
Let’s go through all the sections in Build Me Up Buttercup—they contain some fascinating harmonic twists.
Chorus
The chorus (and intro) builds exactly as the title suggests, ascending through C – E7 – F – G. For those familiar with progressions, this sits firmly in the key of C, featuring a mediant major (IIIx) followed by the classic IV – V movement.
Next comes a textbook shift—F – Fm (IV – IVm)—before resolving to C – G, then descending through F – Em – Dm – C. It’s a perfect musical reflection of the lyrics: “Build me up, mess me around, don’t break my heart!”
The chord extensions can look overwhelming, but once you study the TAB, they’ll serve as a guide for incorporating the melody lines within the chords.
Verse
The verse steps outside the key, introducing a bVIIx, moving C – G – Bb – F – C – F. You could also interpret this as a “climb to the V chord”, first in C, then in F—an elegant trick that keeps the harmony fresh.
Bridge
The bridge starts on the II chord: Dm – G – F, followed by Em – A – G, where the A acts as a VIx chord. Before returning to the chorus, we get F – D7 – G, with D7 functioning as a IIx (the dominant of the dominant), creating a strong pull toward G.
Outro
The outro is where everything unravels—beautifully, if you can pull it off!
| C | G | A | A7 |
| D | D/F# | G | Gm |
| D | A | G F#m Em D |
Here, the key modulates from C to D—a brilliant studio idea but notoriously tricky live. Many bands stumble here, as the song fades out mid-progression. My suggestion: end on the fast chords of a normal chorus but in the new key.
This way, you can hand your bandmates a chart (see below) and keep everyone on the same page—not just for the outro, but throughout.
To get detailed information on how to play these chords, you’ll need TAB—here’s the link: Build Me Up Buttercup – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Once you’ve got your parts together, use the chord chart below to keep the entire band locked in.
Build Me Up Buttercup Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
I’ve made two versions of this chord chart available for you to download—one as a straightforward PDF, and the other in iReal Pro format.
If you’re using the iReal Pro app, you can easily change the key, which is especially useful here since Build Me Up Buttercup moves outside the key so frequently.
Build Me Up Buttercup TAB | Course Preview
I’ve created TAB arrangements that work perfectly even if you’re the only guitarist in the band—no keyboard player required!
As a preview (and to show exactly how this can be done), here’s the intro.
The Foundations’ signature song
Following their earlier hit Baby, Now That I Found You, Build Me Up Buttercup marked the band’s second major success. By this time, they had a new lead singer, and tensions were beginning to rise—but their success kept them together.
The single charted at #1 in the U.S., Canada, and Australia, and reached #2 in the U.K., cementing its status as a smash. Written by producer Tony Macaulay—who also crafted their previous hit—it became the song most closely associated with The Foundations, helping to hold the band together and later reunite them.
Study the chords, lyrics, and chord chart above to see how The Foundations’ defining song was constructed!
Build Me Up Buttercup Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Build Me Up Buttercup (The Foundations) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
