Chords + Lyrics | I’m a Believer
Intro
| F/A C/G |
||: D7#9 (C D F, C D F, C D F) :||
Verse 1
||: G | D | G | G :||
I thought love was only true in fairy tales.
Meant for someone else but not for me.
Bridge 1
| C | G | C | G |
Ah, love was out to get me, oh, that’s the way it seemed.
| C | G | D | D N.C |
Disappointment haunted all my dreams.
Chorus 1
| G C | G | G C |
Then I saw her face, now I’m a believer.
| G | G C | G | G C |
Not a trace, of doubt in my mind.
| G | G N.C | C | G | F |
I’m in love (mm), I’m a believer (oh, yeah), I couldn’t leave her if I tried.
Instrumental 1
||: D7#9 (C D F, C D F, C D F) :||
Verse 2
I thought love was more or less a giving thing.
Seems the more I gave the less I got.
Bridge 2
What’s the use in trying, all you get is pain?
When I needed sunshine, I got rain.
Chorus 2
Oh, then I saw her face, now I’m a believer.
Not a trace, of doubt in my mind.
I’m in love (mm), I’m a believer (oh, yeah), I couldn’t leave her if I tried. Oh.
Instrumental 2
||: D7#9 (C D F, C D F, C D F) :||
Solo
||: G | D | G | G :||
Bridge 3
Oh, love was out to get me, now that’s the way it seemed.
Disappointment haunted all my dreams.
Chorus 3
Oh, then I saw her face, now I’m a believer.
Not a trace, of doubt in my mind.
I’m in love (mm), I’m a believer (oh, yeah), I couldn’t leave her if I tried.
Instrumental 3
||: D7#9 (C D F, C D F, C D F) :||
Outro
||: G C | G :||
Yes, I saw her face, now I’m a believer.
Without a trace, of doubt in my mind.
Said, I’m a believer, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (I’m a believer).
Said, I’m a believer, yeah (I’m a believer).
I said, I’m a believer, yeah (I’m a believer).
I’m a Believer Backing Tracks | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning I’m a Believer. 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 444Hz. In the backing tracks, I’ve done this job for you by tuning it to 440Hz.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
There are four sections to work through in I’m a Believer. Let’s break them down one by one, starting with the intro/instrumental section.
This is the characteristic part of the song that immediately tells the listener what the tune is. The clever part here is that it begins with a chord outside the key!
In the key of G, the F is a bVIIx (also known as a backdoor dominant). The C chord is IV, and when paired with the F, it creates tension—especially when this combination returns after the chorus.
The signature single-note riff has been written in brackets as C D F, repeated. I also like to imagine a D7#9 chord here, as the intervals remind me of it, like this:
| F/A (bVIIx/3) C/G (IV/5) |
||: D7#9 (C D F, C D F, C D F) :||
What’s crucial here is to play these chords and the riff using the correct inversions—there’s a right way and a wrong way to play it. You’ll need TAB to make sense of this, find it further down this guitar lesson.
Verse
As the verse starts, we only have the I and V chords. After all the tension from the intro/instrumental section, this feels like a relief.
| G (I) | D (V) | G | G |
| G | D | G | G |
Bridge
The bridge, like many bridges, starts on chord IV. The tension increases as it move to the V chord, and then… nothing!
| C (IV) | G (I) | C | G |
| C | G | D (V) | D N.C |
Chorus
The chorus reverses the bridge concept, moving from I to IV rather than IV to I. The final chord is the bVIIx we first heard during the intro:
| G (I) C (IV) | G | G C |
| G | G C | G | G C |
| G | G N.C | C | G | F (bVIIx) |
The arrangement remains the same throughout, with only a solo replacing the verse. The outro is simply the first half of the chorus, repeated. Here’s a chord chart I made for you.
I’m a Believer Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
I’m pleased with how this chord chart turned out. You play the intro, then repeat the verse, bridge, and chorus three times.
The third verse is a solo. Perhaps the only thing missing in the chord chart is an indication that the third verse is a solo. I learned my lesson and added this for Under the Boardwalk.
Should you want to download it, here’s a PDF: I’m a Believer chord chart PDF.
This chart was created using iReal Pro. Here’s a link to that file: I’m a Believer iRealPro.
Using the app, you can change the key and even indicate that the third verse is a solo. You could use the text tool, as I have done, to write “D.S.” and indicate the riff intervals.
By the way, writing intervals instead of note names is a great idea because if you change the key, the intervals—being numbers—will still be correct.
I’m a Believer | TAB
Let’s go through all the sections of I’m a Believer, starting with that iconic intro. Here’s the correct—and only—way to play it:
If you were just reading the chords and lyrics, it might look something like this:
| F/A C/G |
||: D7#9 (C D F, C D F, C D F) :||
But if you didn’t immediately go for the inversions shown in the TAB, you might have ended up with this awkward and incorrect version:
This is a great example of why TAB is so important for guitar—it often reveals essential details that standard chord symbols alone don’t.
Once you’re past the beginner stage, you’ll recognise that intro as a C-shaped F (starting on the 3rd) and an A-shaped C (starting on the 5th). The hammer-on lick outlines a D7♯9 chord.
For now, just follow the TAB exactly and move on to the verse.
This part is straightforward, but there’s one key detail: when the G chord is repeated, you play more strums. Follow the rhythm exactly, especially when playing along with the original recording.
Next is the bridge—also simple, but still worth getting just right:
And here’s the chorus. The F/C shown is intended for guitar only—if a bass player is involved, they’ll just play F.
Aside from the intro, this song is as easy as it gets. Practise each section on its own, then play along with the backing tracks to lock everything in.
I’m a Believer Chords: Continue Learning
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