Chords + Lyrics | Bye Bye Love
Intro
| A C D | N.C | A C D | N.C |
Chorus 1
| D | A | D | A |
Bye-bye love, bye-bye happiness.
| D | A | A E | A |
Hello loneliness, I think I’m a-gonna cry.
| D | A | D | A |
Bye-bye love, bye-bye sweet caress.
| D | A | A E | A | A E | A |
Hello emptiness, I feel like I could die, bye-bye my love, goodbye.
Verse 1
| A5 N.C | E | E | A |
There goes my baby, with someone new.
| A | E | E | A |
She sure looks happy, I sure am blue.
| A | D | D | E |
She was my baby, ’til he stepped in.
| E | E | E | A | A7 |
Goodbye to romance, that might have been.
Chorus 2
Bye-bye love, bye-bye happiness.
Hello loneliness, I think I’m a-gonna cry.
Bye-bye love, bye-bye sweet caress.
Hello emptiness, I feel like I could die, but bye-bye my love, goodbye
Verse 2
I’m through with romance, I’m through with love.
I’m through with countin’ the stars above.
And here’s the reason that I’m so free.
My lovin’ baby is through with me.
Chorus 3
| D | A | D | A |
Bye-bye love, bye-bye happiness.
| D | A | A E | A A7 |
Hello loneliness, I think I’m a-gonna cry.
| D | A | D | A |
Bye-bye love, bye-bye sweet caress.
| D | A | A E | A | A E | A |
Hello emptiness, I feel like I could die, but bye-bye my love, goodbye
Outro
||: A E | A :|| to fade
||: Bye-bye my love, goodbye :|| to fade
Bye Bye Love Chords: The Classic Three-Chord Structure with a Twist
Bye Bye Love is a classic “three-chord song” in the key of A, following the I – IV – V progression. The only deviation from this pattern comes in the intro, which introduces the bIIIx chord (a C), making it a four-chord song! Here’s how the intro looks:
| A (I) | C (bIIIx) | D (IV) | N.C |
| A | C | D | N.C |
The intro is the only section The Everly Brothers wrote; the rest of the song was penned by the songwriting duo Felice and Boudleaux Bryant.
Once the chorus enters, the song returns to the IV chord with this simple progression:
||: D (IV) | A (I) | D | A |
| D | A | A E (V) | A :||
For the verse, the song moves to the V chord and returns home to the I chord:
| A5 (I) | N.C | E (V) | E |
| A | E | E | A |
| A | D (IV) | D | E |
| E | E | E | A | A7 |
The A7 at the end of the verse leads nicely into the IV chord, adding a touch of blues. Up until this point, the song uses only triads for the I – IV – V progression.
I’ve created some TAB for a guitar part that combines the original Everly Brothers’ guitar work with a version that works for a single guitarist in a band setting.
Additionally, I’ve included some Chet Atkins licks in the TAB lesson. You can check out the full lesson here: Bye Bye Love – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Once you’ve learned the TAB, this chord chart will be all you need!
Bye Bye Love Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Bye Bye Love chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Bye Bye Love iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
Bye Bye Love TAB | Course Preview
In the course, you get TAB for all sections of Bye Bye Love—including some classic Chet Atkins-style licks!
Here’s a preview of what the intro looks like.
Everly Brothers’ first hit
Released in 1957, Bye Bye Love quickly became a chart-topping success. Its influence has resonated across generations, with notable covers by The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel.
Both The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel have cited The Everly Brothers as a major influence on their early careers. Other artists like The Hollies, Gram Parsons, and Emmylou Harris also acknowledge the duo’s impact.
As The Everly Brothers’ debut hit, Bye Bye Love opened the door to a string of successes that solidified the brothers as one of the best-selling duos of all time. Their subsequent hits included Wake Up Little Susie, All I Have To Do Is Dream, and Cathy’s Clown.
Bye Bye Love Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Bye Bye Love (The Everly Brothers) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
