Get Ready | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
||: D riff | D riff G5 F5 | D riff | D riff G5 F5 :||
Verse 1
||: D riff | D riff G5 F5 :||
I never met a girl who makes me feel the way that you do (you’re alright).
Whenever I’m asked who makes my dreams real I say that you do (you’re outta sight).
So fee di fi, fo di dum. Look out baby ’cause here I come.
Chorus 1
| F5 | Bb | G5 | C |
And I’m bringing you a love that’s true so get ready, so get ready.
| F | Bb7omit3 | Gm | C |
I’m gonna try to make you love me too so get ready, so get ready, here I come.
| D | D G5 F5 | D | D G5 F5 |
(Get ready ’cause here I come) I’m on my way (Get ready ’cause here I come).
Verse 2
If you wanna play hide and seek with love let me remind you (It’s alright).
The loving you’re gonna miss and the time it takes to find you (It’s outta sight).
So twiddle-dee-dee twiddle dee dum. Look out baby ’cause here I come.
Chorus 2
||: F | Bb | G | C :||
And I’m bringing you a love that’s true so get ready, so get ready.
I’m gonna try to make you love me too so get ready, so get ready, here I come.
Chorus tag 1
| D | D G5 F5 | D | D G5 F5 |
(Get ready ’cause here I come) I’m on my way (Get ready ’cause here I come).
Solo
||: D riff | D riff G5 F5 :||
| G A | G A | G A G | Bb A G |
Verse 3
All of my friends shouldn’t want you to, I understand it (Be alright).
I hope I’ll get to you before they do, the way I planned it (Be outta sight).
So twiddle-dee twiddle-dee dum. Look out baby ’cause here I come.
Chorus 3 (as chorus 2)
And I’m bringing you a love that’s true so get ready, so get ready.
I’m gonna try to make you love me too so get ready, so get ready, here I come.
Outro (as chorus tag)
||: D riff | D riff G5 F5 :||
(Get ready ’cause here I come, now) I’m on my way.
(Get ready ’cause here I come, now) Thinking of staying.
(Get ready ’cause here I come, now).
Get Ready Chords: The Bluesy Riff Meets Unexpected Majors
Let’s take a look at Get Ready‘s chords—they’re not strictly diatonic, which gives the blues riff its distinctive edge.
The verse riff is based around a D minor pentatonic, but at the end, it lands on G and F chords to fatten up the last two notes.
If the progression followed a diatonic structure, those chords would be Gm and F—but that’s not what’s played in the original recording. Instead, they use two major chords: G and F.
On guitar, I find that power chords (G5 and F5) work best, avoiding the major or minor distinction. That leaves the full triads to the keyboard player.
The chorus chords are almost diatonic to the relative major of Dm, which is F major. The movement follows I – IV – IIx – V, with the only outlier being G—again, played as a G major rather than G minor:
||: F (I) | Bb (IV) | G (IIx) | C (V) :||
The balance between the bluesy riff, the diatonic chords, and the non-diatonic G major is what gives Get Ready its unique sound.
It’s hard to think of a better example of why chord progressions should be included in songwriting credits—not just the lyrics and melody!
Here’s a chord chart I made for you.
Get Ready Backing Track | Chord Chart
(PDF + iReal Pro)
At the top of the page, you’ll find a backing track I created by recording a live band in the studio. Use this, along with the chord chart, to prepare for playing Get Ready with a band.
In my book, a chord chart should be simple—it’s a reminder, not a perfect guide. You need to know the song well; for precise details, you’d need a full transcription.
For Get Ready, I’ve structured the chart like this:
- Section A – Intro & Verse
- Section B – Chorus
- Section C – Solo
The end of Section C is the only part you may need to glance at during a performance, just to recall the chords for the stabs.
There’s no rhythm notation for these stabs—you need to have listened to and practised the song enough to instinctively play them in time.
If you’d like to download the chart, here’s the PDF: Get Ready chord chart PDF.
This chart was created using iRealPro, and you can access it here: Get Ready chord chart iReal Pro. Using the iRealPro app, you can also change the key if needed.
Below, you’ll find a preview of how we learn to play Get Ready in the course—starting with that signature riff, played everywhere!
Get Ready TAB | Course Preview
Below is the TAB for Get Ready’s main riff. In the course, we explore multiple ways to play this riff across the neck. By practising it in different positions, you’ll be able to vary it naturally, making the riff come alive in a performance.
Only by playing the riff everywhere can you confidently use it anywhere. Here’s the open-position example:
Take note of how the G and F chords are played as power chords, with the root above the 5th. It may sound unusual at first, but after experimenting with different variations, you might find yourself using this version just once for a fresh twist during the song.
Beyond the riff, the course also covers:
- Chorus chords in all CAGED shapes, allowing you to move freely across the fretboard, adding Hendrix-style fills as you go.
- Solo section, replicating the original string and saxophone lines from the recording.
For the full breakdown, check out the 8 step-by-step guitar lessons: Get Ready – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Get Ready was written for a dance craze!
Get Ready was written by Smokey Robinson and first recorded by The Temptations.
Originally intended to fuel a dance craze, the song quickly took on a life of its own, packed with all the ingredients of a smash hit.
Motown struck gold again in 1970 when their rock band Rare Earth released a successful version. Ella Fitzgerald also delivered an impressive cover.
Since its 1966 release, Get Ready has been featured in numerous TV ads and remains a setlist staple for many Motown and soul bands.
Get Ready Chords: Continue Learning
To get the most from playing Get Ready, we move that verse riff around the fretboard and vary it in execution.
For the solo, we copy what the strings and the sax play on the original recording. This will require us to work on our pull-off and hammer-on techniques.
Start learning with the full lesson series: Get Ready – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy: