Chords + Lyrics | Can’t Buy Me Love
Intro
| Em | Am | Em | Am | Dm | G |
Can’t buy me love, love. Can’t buy me love.
Verse 1
| C | C | C | C |
I’ll buy you a diamond ring my friend, if it makes you feel alright.
| F | F | C | C |
I’ll get you anything my friend, if it makes you feel alright.
| G7 | F7 N.C | F7 | C |
‘Cause I don’t care too much for money, for money can’t buy me love.
Verse 2
I’ll give you all I’ve got to give, if you say you love me too.
I may not have a lot to give but what I’ve got, I’ll give to you.
I don’t care too much for money, for money can’t buy me love.
Chorus 1
| Em | Am | C | C |
Can’t buy me love, everybody tells me so.
| Em | Am | Dm7 | G |
Can’t buy me love. No, no, no, nooo.
Verse 3
Say you don’t need no diamond ring and I’ll be satisfied.
Tell me that you want the kind of things, that money just can’t buy.
| G7 | F7 N.C | F7 | C | C |
I don’t care too much for money, money can’t buy me love. Ah-oww.
Solo
| C | C | C | C |
| F | F7 F6 | C7 | C7 |
| G7 | F7 | C | C |
Chorus 2
| Em | Am | C | C |
Can’t buy me love, everybody tells me so.
| Em | Am | Dm7 | G |
Can’t buy me love. No, no, no, nooo.
Verse 4
Say you don’t need no diamond rings and I’ll be satisfied.
Tell me that you want the kind of things, that money just can’t buy.
I don’t care too much for money, money can’t buy me love.
Chorus 3
| Em | Am | Em | Am | Dm7 | G | C | C |
Can’t buy me love, love. Can’t buy me love, oh.
Can’t Buy Me Love Backing Tracks | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning Can’t Buy Me Love. 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 445Hz. In the backing tracks, I’ve done this job for you by tuning it to 440Hz.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
Mixing a standard 12-bar blues in the key of C for the verse with the minor III and VI chords, followed by a II–V turnaround, Can’t Buy Me Love is a textbook example of pop, fused with rock ’n’ roll style songwriting.
Intro
The intro chorus starts with Em – Am, a progression typically associated with VI – II, the beginning of an E minor blues. However, The Beatles introduce a clever twist—what follows is Dm – G, revealing that the progression is actually III – VI, the end of a minor blues rather than the start.
Verse
The verse is a straightforward 12-bar blues but omits the usual dominant 7th chords at first:
| C | C | C | C |
| F | F | C | C |
| G7 | F7 N.C | F7 | C |
Chorus
When the chorus returns, it’s not identical to the intro chorus. This time, the progression moves Em – Am – C, as if the chorus has now been woven into the 12-bar blues structure—a simple yet brilliant shift.
Outro
Finally, the outro chorus returns to the original form, creating a satisfying resolution.
To work out how to combine the two guitars on the original recording and find a part that works in a band, you’ll need TAB, check my ideas further down this guitar lesson.
Once you can play the TAB, all you need is this chord chart.
Can’t Buy Me Love Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
I had to make several compromises when writing a chord chart for Can’t Buy Me Love. The main one is how small each bar is—had I not done this, this relatively simple tune would have stretched over two pages.
Notice how similar the intro, chorus, and final chorus are. This is what we call “familiarity with a twist”, an essential element in hit songwriting—no copy and paste here!
Should you want to download my compact chart, you can do so in both PDF and iReal Pro formats:
Can’t Buy Me Love | TAB
When you’re the sole guitarist, consistency is key. You need a part that’s clear so the listener—and other band members—can relax into it.
Intro (chorus)
The intro functions as a chorus, although the chords will vary when it returns later. The rhythm is consistent throughout—don’t overcomplicate it.
Verse
The verse keeps the established rhythm but plays it every other bar. Start with a couple of stabs, then return to the main pattern.
The F7 and G7 add a bluesy touch, reflecting how The Fab Four blended traditional harmony with hints of blues to create their signature sound.
Chorus
For the chorus, replay the intro pattern, adding the C chord for the lyrics “everybody tells me so,” then continue with “no no no…”. Simple but effective.
Solo
The solo mirrors the verse pattern, mainly cycling through F and resolving on C. If someone else is playing the solo, stick to the established rhythm.
Outro
The outro resembles the intro, finishing on a C chord.
Once you can play all the TAB, practise along with The Beatles using the backing tracks and chord chart.
One of many early hits by The Beatles
As the fourth best-selling single of the 1960s (behind She Loves You and I Want to Hold Your Hand), Can’t Buy Me Love was an immediate success, topping charts not only in the U.K. and the U.S., but worldwide.
This was The Beatles’ sixth single, and by this point, the band had become a global phenomenon, with fans going wild wherever they appeared. Taken from the album A Hard Day’s Night—the soundtrack to the film of the same name—Can’t Buy Me Love wasn’t the only classic on the record. It also featured timeless tracks such as And I Love Her and If I Fell.
Can’t Buy Me Love Chords: Continue Learning
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