I’m a Believer | Chords + Lyrics
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 Chords: Learn the progressions
There are four sections to work out in I’m a Believer. Let’s look at them one by one, starting with the intro/instrumental section.
This is the characteristic section that tells the listener what song this is. The clever thing here is that we have a chord outside the key, which we start with!
Being in the key of G, the F is a bVIIx (also known as a backdoor dominant). The C chord is IV and paired with the F gives us tension, especially when this returns after a chorus.
The signature single-note riff has been written in brackets as C D F on repeat, I like to imagine a D7#9 chord as well as this reminds me of the intervals, like this:
| F/A (bVIIx/3) C/G (IV/5) |
||: D7#9 (C D F, C D F, C D F) :||
What’s extremely important here is to play these chords and riff using the right inversions, there is a correct and wrong way to play it.
You need TAB to make sense of it, you check that part of the lesson here: I’m A Believer – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
As the verse starts we only have chords I – V. This feels like a relief after all that tension of the intro/instrumental section.
| G (I) | D (V) | G | G |
| G | D | G | G |
The bridge, like so many bridges do, starts on chord IV. To then finish on a V chord can only be increased in tension by playing nothing!
| C (IV) | G (I) | C | G |
| C | G | D (V) | D N.C |
The chorus turns the bridge concept around as it goes from I – IV, rather than IV – I. The final chord is that bVIIx again which we had 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 is the same throughout, only varied by having a solo instead of a verse. The outro is just the first half of the chorus on repeat.
Here’s a chord chart I made for you.
I’m a Believer Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
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 indicating that verse 3 is a solo is the only thing missing in the chord chart.
I learned my lesson and did 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 iRealPro, here’s a link to that file: I’m a Believer Down iReal Pro.
Using the app, you can change the key and perhaps indicate that verse 3 is a solo. Use the text tool as I have done writing D.S. and the intervals indicating what the riff is.
By the way, writing intervals rather than note names is a great idea as if you change the key, the intervals, being numbers, will still be correct.
I’m a Believer was the biggest-selling single of 1967!
Written by Neil Diamond, but recorded and made famous by The Monkees, I’m a Believer was released in late 1966. It went to the #1 spot in the U.S. and stayed there for seven weeks.
The song was so popular it became the biggest-selling single of 1967. The success wasn’t just in the U.S., it went to #1 in a further twelve countries!
In total, I’m A Believer sold over 10 million copies worldwide, largely helped by The Monkees being not just a band, but an actual TV show, or a sitcom if you like.
As a band, The Monkees were a huge success all over the world, selling a staggering 75 million records, thanks to the hits Last Train To Clarkesville, Daydream Believer, and most of all what we’ve looked at here with chords and lyrics; I’m A Believer.
Since the late 60s, I’m a Believer has remained on many covers bands’ repertoire, sitting comfortably next to songs such as I Saw Here Standing There, Honky Tonk Women, and Brown Eyed Girl.
If you’re in a band that plays tunes from the late ’60s, this one is guaranteed to appear on the setlist.
I’m a Believer Chords | Related Pages
I’m a Believer | Guitar Lesson + TAB
With this guitar lesson, you can learn to play I’m a Believer by The Monkees using TAB and chord analysis.
| G | D | G | G |
I thought love was only true in fairy tales…
Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
Neil Diamond tunes
Neil Diamond dropped out of college to go work for Tin Pan Alley as a songwriter when just a teenager.
His best tunes include Solitary Man, Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon, I’m a Believer, Red Red Wine, Sweet Caroline, and You Don’t Bring Me Flowers.
Neil Diamond on the web
The Monkees tunes
Formed for a TV show launched in 1966, The Monkees creator Bob Rafelson effectively manufactured the first successful boy band.
Their best tunes include I’m a Believer, Last Train To Clarksville, (Theme from) The Monkees, and Daydream Believer.
The Monkees on the web
About me | Dan Lundholm
This was a guitar lesson about I’m a Believer chords, by Dan Lundholm. Discover more about him and how you can learn guitar with Spytunes.
Most importantly, find out why you should learn guitar through playing tunes, not practising scales, and studying theory in isolation.
