Chords + Lyrics | Reach Out I’ll Be There
Intro
||: Ebsus4 Ebm | Ebsus4 Ebm Ebsus2 | Bb | Bb :||
Verse 1
| Abm7 Gb/Bb | Db | Abm7 Gb/Bb | Db |
Now if you feel that you can’t go on, because all of your hope is gone.
| Abm7 Gb/Bb | Db Db6 | Abm7 Gb/Bb | Db |
And your life is filled with much confusion, until happiness is just an illusion.
| Abm7 Gb/Bb | Db Db6 Db |
And your world around is crumbling down, darling.
Bridge 1
| Gb/Bb | Gb |
(Reach out) come on girl, reach on out for me.
| Bb/D | Bbaddb9/F Bb/F | N.C (F Gb A) |
(Reach out) reach out for me. Ha!
Chorus 1
| Bb | Eb/Bb | Ebsus4 Ebm Ebsus2 | Bb |
I’ll be there, with a love that will shelter you.
| Bb | Eb/Bb | Ebsus4 Ebm Ebsus2 | Bb | Bb |
I’ll be there, with a love that will see you through.
Verse 2
||: Abm7 Gb/Bb | Db :||
When you feel lost and about to give up, ’cause your best just ain’t good enough.
And you feel the world has grown cold, and you’re drifting out all on your own.
| Abm7 Gb/Bb | Db Db6 Db |
And you need a hand to hold. Darling.
Bridge 2
(Reach out) come on girl, reach out for me.
(Reach out) reach out for me. Ha!
Chorus 2
| Bb | Eb/Bb | Ebsus4 Ebm Ebsus2 | Bb |
I’ll be there, to love and comfort you.
| Bb | Eb/Bb | Ebsus4 Ebm Ebsus2 | Bb | Bb |
And I’ll be there, to cherish and care for you.
| Bb | Eb/Bb | Ebsus4 Ebm Ebsus2 | Bb |
(I’ll be there, to always see you through.)
| Bb | Eb/Bb | Ebsus4 Ebm Ebsus2 | Bb |
(I’ll be there to love and comfort you.)
Verse 3
||: Abm7 Gb/Bb | Db :||
I can tell the way you hang your head, you’re without love and now you’re afraid.
And through your tears you look around, but there’s no peace of mind to be found. I know what you’re thinkin’.
| Abm7 Gb/Bb | Db |
You’re alone now, no love of your own. But darling.
Bridge 3
(Reach out) come on girl, reach out for me.
(Reach out) Just look over your shoulder.
Chorus 3
||: Bb | Eb/Bb | Ebsus4 Ebm Ebsus2 | Bb :|| to fade
I’ll be there, to give you all the love you need.
And I’ll be there, you can always count on me.
Reach Out I’ll Be There Chords: Learn the progressions
Reach Out I’ll Be There features key changes and variations, including a IVm, which can be tricky to hear at first.
This may be partly due to the recording being slightly sharp, making it difficult to work out on guitar. Try using my online guitar tuner—set it to 444Hz instead of 440Hz—to improve your accuracy when playing along.
Intro
The opening Ebsus4 and Ebm chords create a unique variation on the classic IV – IVm move in the key of Bb. This is one of the only songs that begins with this progression—typically, the IVm appears after a IV chord, as in Blackbird, where you can clearly hear the third shift from major to minor.
Verse
For the verse, we shift to the key of Gb, playing a II – V progression with a quick I chord (with its 3rd in the bass) in between, like this:
||: Abm7 (II) Gb/Bb (I/3) | Db (V) :||
Bridge
The bridge chords are often played incorrectly by bands, leading to some confused looks when the section arrives. Here’s how it should go:
| Gb/Bb | Gb |
| Bb/D | Bbaddb9/F Bb/F |
| N.C (F Gb A) |
The final bass line (in brackets) leads into the chorus.
Chorus
||: Bb | Eb/Bb | Ebsus4 Ebm Ebsus2 | Bb :|| Bb |
Notice how that Ebm (IVm) from the intro returns briefly here.
For a playable guitar part to use with a band, check out my TAB lesson here: Reach Out I’ll Be There – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Once you’ve understood the TAB and chord extensions, this chord chart will be your go-to reference.
Reach Out I’ll Be There Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Reach Out I’ll Be There chord chart PDF.
This chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Reach Out I’ll Be There iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
Reach Out I’ll Be There TAB | Course Preview
In the course, you get TAB for all sections.
As a preview, here’s the intro, where I’ve incorporated the horn line into the guitar part.
Four Tops signature song
Released in 1966, Reach Out I’ll Be There became an enormous success for the Four Tops, reaching #1 in both the U.S. and the U.K.
Written and produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland, it was one of Motown’s biggest hits, selling half a million copies in the U.S. alone.
Apparently, the Four Tops weren’t keen on the recording and begged Berry Gordy not to release it. Luckily, he was determined, and Reach Out I’ll Be There went on to become the group’s signature song.
Following the original release, Diana Ross covered it in 1971, and Gloria Gaynor followed in 1975—not to mention every Motown band performing it on Saturday nights!
In 2021, a musical about the Four Tops took its title from the second half of the song’s name: I’ll Be There.
Reach Out I’ll Be There Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Reach Out I’ll Be There (Four Tops) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
