Close To You | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
||: Csus2 C :||
Verse 1
| Csus2 | Bm | Bm7 | Em Esus2 E5 Em7 |
Why do birds suddenly appear, every time, you are near?
| Cadd9 | Cadd9 | G | G |
Just like me, they long to be, close to you.
Verse 2
| Csus2 | Bm | Bm7 | Em Esus2 E5 Em7 |
Why do stars fall down from the sky, every time, you walk by?
| Cadd9 | Cadd9 | G | G |
Just like me, they long to be, close to you.
Chorus 1
| C | C | Bm | Bm7 |
On the day that you were born the angels got together and decided to create a dream come true.
| Em | Em | Dsus2 | Dsus2 |
So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold and starlight in your eyes of blue.
Verse 3
| Csus2 | Bm | Bm7 | Em Esus2 E5 Em7 |
That is why all the girls in town (girls in town). Follow you (follow you) all around (all around).
| Cadd9 | Cadd9 | G |
Just like me, they long to be, close to you.
Solo – Key change!
| N.C Db/F |
| Dbsus2 | Cm | Cm7 | Fm Fsus2 F5 Fm7 |
| Dbsus2 | Db Dbsus2 | Ab | Ab |
Chorus 2
| Db | Db | Cm | Cm7 |
On the day that you were born the angels got together and decided to create a dream come true.
| Fm | Fm | Dsus2 | Dsus2 |
So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold and starlight in your eyes of blue.
Verse 4
| Dbsus2 | Cm | Cm7 | Fm Fsus2 F5 Fm7 |
That is why all the girls in town (girls in town). Follow you (follow you) all around (all around).
| Dbadd9 | Dbadd9 | Abmaj7 |Abmaj7 |
Just like me, they long to be, close to you.
| Dbadd9 | Dbadd9 | Ab6 A | Ab6 A | Ab6 A | Ab6 A | Ab6 |
Just like me, they long to be, close to you.
Outro
| Dbmaj7 Dbmaj7#11 | Dbmaj7 | Ab | Ab |
| Wa-ah, close to you.
| Dbmaj7 Dbmaj7#11 | Dbmaj7 | Ab | Abadd9 Ab |
| Wa-ah, close to you.
| Dbmaj7 Dbmaj7#11 | Dbmaj7 | Abmaj7 |
| Wa-ah, close to you.
Close To You | Chords + Lyrics (capo 3 and 4)
Intro
||: Asus2 A :||
Verse 1
| Asus2 | G#m | G#m7 | C#m C#sus2 C#5 C#m7 |
Why do birds suddenly appear, every time, you are near?
| Aadd9 | Aadd9 | E | E |
Just like me, they long to be, close to you.
Verse 2
| Asus2 | G#m | G#m7 | C#m C#sus2 C#5 C#m7 |
Why do stars fall down from the sky, every time, you walk by?
| Aadd9 | Aadd9 | E | E7 |
Just like me, they long to be, close to you.
Chorus 1
| A | A | G#m | G#m7 |
On the day that you were born the angels got together and decided to create a dream come true.
| C#m | C#m | Bsus2 | Bsus2 |
So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold and starlight in your eyes of blue.
Verse 3
| Asus2 | G#m | G#m7 | C#m C#sus2 C#5 C#m7 |
That is why all the girls in town (girls in town). Follow you (follow you) all around (all around).
| Aadd9 | Aadd9 | E |
Just like me, they long to be, close to you.
Solo
| N.C A/C# |
| Asus2 | G#m | G#m7 | C#m C#sus2 C#5 C#m7 |
| Asus2 | A Asus2 | E | E |
Chorus 2
| A | A | G#m | G#m7 |
On the day that you were born the angels got together and decided to create a dream come true.
| C#m | C#m | Bsus2 | Bsus2 |
So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold and starlight in your eyes of blue.
Verse 4
| Asus2 | G#m | G#m7 | C#m C#sus2 C#5 C#m7 |
That is why all the girls in town (girls in town). Follow you (follow you) all around (all around).
| Aadd9 | Aadd9 | Emaj7 | Emaj7 |
Just like me, they long to be, close to you.
| Aadd9 | Aadd9 | E6 E | E6 E | E6 E | E6 E | E6 |
Just like me, they long to be, close to you.
Outro
| Amaj7 Amaj7#11 | Amaj7 | E | E |
| Wa-ah, close to you.
| Amaj7 Amaj7#11 | Amaj7 | E | Eadd9 E |
| Wa-ah, close to you.
| Amaj7 Amaj7#11 | Amaj7 | Emaj7 |
| Wa-ah, close to you.
Close To You’s chords and fingerstyle technique
Carpenters (They Long To Be) Close To You was written by Burt Bacharach so we are in for some clever chordal movement with this one!
Starting off with an Asus2 chord, Bacharach cleverly disguises where the key center is since a sus2 chord could be almost any of the seven chords from a key.
When the next chord enters a semitone below it is clear to the eagle-eyed key center enthusiast that the first chord was in fact chord IV.
In the video lesson, there’s a capo on fret three and the key you’re hearing is G. Because of the capo, you think of this as if in the key of E.
Similar to Over The Rainbow, Close To You is played in a way that a classical guitarist would play, without a steady pulse.
With the use of rakes (strumming a chord quickly, one note after another) this song works great on just one acoustic guitar, even though the original recording has a massive production.
Keeping the tempo loose, leaving time for the singer to come back in, makes the verse even better. Providing a steady rhythm for the chorus gives this approach a nice contrast.
Close To You was Carpenter’s first hit
(They Long To Be) Close To You was originally written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
Initially released as They Long To Be Close To You with Richard Chamberlain in 1963, the song didn’t do too well, in fact, the B-side Blue Guitar became a hit!
In 1964 Burt arranged the song for Dionne Warwick, this time releasing the song as a B-side to Here I Am.
The song didn’t do well in the charts so Burt released his own version in 1968, this didn’t work either!
In 1970 the Carpenters released their version, now entitled (They Long To Be) Close To You.
This time it worked and the song even snatched a Grammy in favor of Let It Be by The Beatles and Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel.
Following the success of Close To You, Carpenters went on to sell more albums than any other act in the 70s.
Close To You chords | Related pages
Five similar tunes
- Arthur’s Theme chords
- Blackbird chords
- Dream A Little Dream Of Me chords
- The Look Of Love chords
- Over The Rainbow chords
Burt Bacharach
One of the most important composers of the last century, Burt Bacharach‘s tunes have been recorded by over 1000 artists.
Unforgettable hits include Close To You, Walk On By, Arthur’s Theme, That’s What Friends Are For, What The World Needs Now, and I Say A Little Prayer.
Burt Bacharach on the web
Carpenters
Siblings Karen and Richard Carpenter started out in music early on. Richard on the Piano and Karen on Lead Vocals/Drums.
During Carpenters short and troubled career, they became the biggest act of the 70s, topping even The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel at Award ceremonies.
Carpenters on the web
Advanced Acoustic
The advanced acoustic tunes use big chord extensions and sometimes, unique and complex chords that incorporate open strings.
Study these in-depth and you will gain a complete understanding of the guitar fretboard, including how to build any scale, arpeggio, or chord.
Ballads
The perfect first dance or an emotional piece for your next audition, this collection of ballads is great for working on your expression.
Learn tunes from Burt Bacharach, Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Eva Cassidy, Ben Harper, Etta James, Chet Baker, Elvis, Norah Jones, and many more.
