Save Tonight | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
||: Am F/C | C G :||
||: Am F/C | C G :||
||: Du du du du, du du du du. :||
Verse 1
||: Am F/C | C G | Am F/C | C G :||
Go on and close, the curtains, ’cause all we need, is candlelight.
You and me, and a bottle of wine, to hold you tonight (ah, yeah).
Well we know, I’m going away and how I wish, I wish it weren’t so.
So take this wine, and drink with me, and let’s delay our misery.
Chorus 1
||: Am F/C | C G | Am F/C | C G :||
Save tonight, and fight the break of dawn, come tomorrow, tomorrow I’ll be gone.
Save tonight, and fight the break of dawn, come tomorrow, tomorrow I’ll be gone.
Verse 2
There’s a log on the fire, and it burns like me for you.
Tomorrow comes, with one desire, to take me away (oh it’s true).
It ain’t easy to say goodbye, Darlin’ please, don’t start to cry.
‘Cause girl you know I’ve got to go (oh) and Lord I wish it wasn’t so.
Chorus 2
Save tonight, and fight the break of dawn, come tomorrow, tomorrow I’ll be gone.
Save tonight, and fight the break of dawn, come tomorrow, tomorrow I’ll be gone.
Instrumental
||: A5 F | C G5 :|| x4
Breakdown
||: Am F/C | C G | Am F/C | C G :||
Tomorrow comes to take me away, I wish that I, that I could stay.
But girl you know I’ve got to go (oh) and Lord I wish wasn’t so.
Chorus 3
||: Save tonight, and fight the break of dawn, come tomorrow, tomorrow I’ll be gone. :|| x4
Outro
||: Am F/C | C G | Am F/C | C G :||
||: Tomorrow I’ll be gone :|| x4
||: Am F/C | C G | Am F/C | C G :||
||: Am F/C | C G | Am F/C | C G :||
Save tonight, save tonight.
Save tonight, save tonight (oh, that’s right).
Save tonight, save tonight.
Save Tonight Chords: The Genius Behind Its Simple Progression
One of the best things about a four-chord song like this is how quickly you can learn it. In a band setting, it allows you to focus on dynamics and communication rather than just remembering the chords.
Save Tonight consists of a single looping progression: VI – IV – I – V, or Am – F/C – C – G. So why does it work so well?
Perhaps it’s the opening VI – IV movement—it’s less common than I – IV, yet still feels familiar. From there, the chords move backwards through the cycle of fourths. Normally, you’d ascend G – C – F, but in Save Tonight, the sequence reverses: F – C – G. This subtle twist makes the progression both recognisable and fresh.
Another song that uses this reversed cycle of fourths is Wonderwall, making both excellent choices for an acoustic party setlist.
Incubus’ Mike Einziger was clearly a fan—he “took inspiration” from Save Tonight when co-writing Wake Me Up with Avicii, yet another staple for solo performers who want to excite the party.
To play Save Tonight well, simply strumming through the chords won’t cut it—it can get repetitive fast. I’ve designed three TAB examples to help you refine your approach. Here’s a link to that part of the lesson: Save Tonight – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Once your strumming is sorted, all you need is a simple chord chart. Here’s one I made for you.
Save Tonight Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
Since the chords are so simple—aside from a slight variation in the breakdown section—all that’s needed is to repeat these sections while indicating the structure.
For Save Tonight, I’ve done this using simple text, though for other songs, I’ve taken a different approach.
If you’d like to download the chart, here’s a PDF: Save Tonight chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro—here’s a link to the file: Save Tonight chord chart iReal Pro.
With iReal Pro, you can change the key and even modify how the structure is presented. Feel free to adjust my version to what you think best represents Save Tonight’s chords.
Eagle-Eye Cherry Drew on His Acting Training for the Save Tonight Music Video!
As breakthrough singles go, few are as successful as Eagle-Eye Cherry’s worldwide smash hit Save Tonight (1997).
It fits perfectly alongside other acoustic ’90s anthems like What’s Up?, Mr. Jones, Iris, Torn, and Two Princes. I remember playing all these at after-ski parties in the French Alps and at beach bars in Greece during the kate ’90s.
Like the songs mentioned above, Save Tonight was a global hit, reaching the top 10 in 16 countries. In the U.K., it sold over a million copies.
Eagle-Eye, who studied acting in New York alongside Jennifer Aniston, took on multiple roles in his music video, no doubt drawing on his training. At the time, he must have felt he’d made it.
The Swedish press backed him as the next big thing, and after winning Song of the Year, expectations were high. However, he struggled to follow up on Save Tonight’s success.
Save Tonight Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Save Tonight (Eagle-Eye Cherry) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy: