Havana | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
||: Gm7 Eb | D7 (D7b9) :||
Hey
Chorus 1
||: Gm7 Eb | D7 (D7b9) :||
Havana, ooh na-na (ayy), half of my heart is in,
Havana, ooh na-na (ayy, ayy). He took me back to,
East Atlanta, na-na-na, ah. Oh, but my heart is in,
| Gm7 Eb | N.C |
Havana (ayy), there’s somethin’ ’bout his manners (uh-huh). Havana, ooh-na-na (uh).
Verse 1
||: Gm7 Eb | D7 (D7b9) :||
He didn’t walk up with that “how you doin’?” (uh). When he came in the room.
He said there’s a lot of girls I can do with (uh). But I can’t without you.
I knew him forever in a minute (hey). That summer night in June.
And Papa says he got malo in him (uh). He got me feelin’ like…
Bridge 1
| Gm7 Eb | D7 |
Ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh (ayy).
| Gm7 Eb | D7 (D7b9) |
I knew it when I met him, I loved him when I left him.
| Gm7 Eb | D7 (D7b9) |
Got me feelin’ like, ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh.
| Gm7 Eb | N.C |
And then I had to tell him, I had to go. Oh-na-na-na-na-na (woo).
Chorus 2
||: Gm7 Eb | D7 (D7b9) :||
Havana, ooh na-na (ayy, ayy), half of my heart is in,
Havana, ooh na-na (ayy, ayy). He took me back to,
East Atlanta, na-na-na (uh huh).
Oh, but my heart is in Havana, my heart is in Havana, Havana, ooh-na-na.
Verse (rap)
||: Gm7 Eb | D7 :||
Jeffery, just graduated, fresh on campus, hmmm.
Fresh out East Atlanta with no manners, damn.
(Fresh out East Atlanta) Bump on her bumper like a traffic jam.
Hey, I was quick to pay that girl like Uncle Sam (here you go, ayy).
Back it on me (back it up). Shawty cravin’ on me, get to eatin’ on me (on me).
She waited on me (then what?). Shawty cakin’ on me, got the bacon on me (wait up)
This is history in the makin’, on me (on me). Point blank, close range, that B.
If it cost a million, that’s me (that’s me), I was gettin’ mula, baby.
Chorus 3 (as chorus 2)
Havana, ooh na-na (ayy, ayy). Half of my heart is in,
Havana, ooh na-na (oh, ayy, ayy). He took me back (uh huh) to,
East Atlanta, na-na-na (oh, no). Oh, but my heart is in Havana (ayy).
My heart is in Havana (ayy), Havana, ooh-na-na.
Bridge 2
||: Gm7 Eb | D7 (D7b9) :||
Ooh-na-na, oh-na-na-na (ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh). Take me back, back, back like.
Ooh-na-na, oh-na-na-na (yeah, babe). Take me back, back, back like.
Ooh-na-na, oh-na-na-na (yeah, yeah). Take me back, back, back like.
Ooh-na-na, oh-na-na-na (yeah, babe). Take me back, back, back.
Instrumental 1
||: Gm7 Eb | D7 (D7b9) :||
Hey, hey, hey.
Hey, hey, hey.
Ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh (hey, hey)
Ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh (hey, hey)
Take me back to my Havana.
Chorus 4 (as chorus 1)
Havana, ooh na-na (hey). Half of my heart is in,
Havana, ooh na-na (oh, yeah). He took me back to,
East Atlanta, (ayy, ayy) na-na-na. Oh, but my heart is in Havana.
My heart is in Havana (ayy). Havana, ooh-na-na.
Outro (as chorus 1)
Uh-huh. Oh, na-na-na (oh, na, yeah)
Oh, na-na-na (hey).
Oh, na-na-na (no, no, no, take me back)
Oh, na-na-na. Havana, ooh-na-na.
Havana Chords: Understanding the Harmonic Structure
I like to think of Havana‘s chords as the ending of a minor blues, similar to The Thrill Is Gone.
The home chord is Aeolian/Natural Minor, which I call VI, following the natural flow of Roman numerals. This places the other two chords as IV (Lydian) and IIIx (Phrygian Dominant). In the key of Gm, the progression looks like this:
||: Gm7 (VI) Eb (IV) | D7 (IIIx) D7b9 :||
The D7b9 is added and removed in various ways throughout the song. You could also experiment with a D7#5, or even blend them. Altered chords like these offer plenty of room for creativity—try different variations!
The Eb chord could be extended to Ebmaj7, and sometimes playing Gm7 as a straight Gm adds a nice touch.
For soloing, the G minor scale works well, with added b5 and maj7 tones for extra colour. In my minor scales course, I refer to this combination as the Conspirian scale. Try it along with the original recording:
Scale formula: 1 – 2 – b3 – 4 – b5 – 5 – b6 – b7 – 7
In Gm: G – A – Bb – C – Db – D – Eb – F – F#.
Havana is a great addition to a setlist for a working band or duo. The simple chords allow more focus on dynamics, solos, and breakdowns—letting you shape the song musically rather than getting caught up in a complex arrangement.
If no one in the band wants to rap, just solo instead!
For soloing ideas in TAB, check out this part of the lesson: Havana – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Once you’re comfortable with the song, a simple chord chart may be helpful—here’s one I made for you.
Havana Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
As you can see, my chord chart lists the different sections and then uses text to describe the form. When a tune is this simple, I prefer this to Segno and coda signs.
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Havana Chord Chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Havana iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
Havana was Camila Cabello’s breakthrough single!
By the time Havana was released, Cabello was already well-known. She had spent nearly five years in the spotlight—first as a contestant on The X Factor, then as a member of the group Fifth Harmony, which was formed on the show.
She had also collaborated with fellow rising stars Shawn Mendes and Machine Gun Kelly, building the perfect platform for an international hit.
Released in 2017 as the lead single for her debut album, Havana—a tribute to her birthplace—delivered in spades. The song topped the charts in 23 countries, sold 19 million digital copies, and won 9 awards.
Seemingly overnight, Camila Cabello went from famous to a global superstar—but the journey had taken Simon Cowell five years.
Five years may sound quick, but in reality, it often takes a decade to become an “overnight success”—provided you have the right hit song.
Havana Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Havana (Camila Cabello) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
- I Heard It Through The Grapevine
- Killing Me Softly With His Song
- Señorita
- Shape of You
- Watermelon Sugar