Chords + Lyrics | Show Me Love
Intro
||: Dm (D A) | Dm (D F) :|| x3
| Dm7 Am7 | Bbmaj7 | Dm (D F) |
||: Dm7 Am7 | Bbmaj7 :||
Ahh, yeah, yeah, yeah, hey. Yeah, yeah.
You’ve got to show me love.
Verse 1
||: Dm7 Am7 | Bbmaj7 :||
Heartbreaks and promises, I’ve had more than my share.
I’m tired of giving my love, and gettin’ nowhere, nowhere.
What I need is somebody, who really cares.
I really need a lover, a lover that wants to be there.
Bridge 1
||: Dm7 Am7 | Bbmaj7 :||
It’s been so long since I’ve touched a wanting hand.
I can’t put my love on the line. That I hope you’ll understand.
Chorus 1
||: Dm7 Am7 | Bbmaj7 :||
So, baby, if you want me. You’ve got to show me love.
Words aren’t so easy to say, alright. You’ve got to show me love.
Chorus tag 1
| Dm (D A) | Dm (D F) |
Verse 2
I’m tired of getting caught up, in those one-night affairs.
What I really need is somebody, who will always be there.
Don’t you promise me the world. All that I’ve already heard.
This time around for me, baby. Actions speak louder than words.
Bridge 2
If you’re looking for devotion, talk to me.
Come with your heart in your hands. Because my love is, guaranteed.
Chorus 2
So, baby, if you want me. You’ve got to show me love.
Words aren’t so easy to say, alright. You’ve got to show me love.
Chorus tag 2
||: Dm (D A) | Dm (D F) :||
||: Dm7 Am7 | Bbmaj7 :||
Show me, show me, baby. You’ve got to give it to me, give it to me, give it to me, yeah.
I don’t want no fakes, don’t want no phony. I need your love.
Breakdown
||: N.C | N.C :||
Show me, show me, show me, baby. Give it to me, give it to me.
I am not a toy, I’m not a plaything. You’ve got to understand.
Bridge 3
If you’re looking for devotion, talk to me.
Come with your heart in your hands. Because my love is, guaranteed.
Outro
||: Dm (D A) | Dm (D F) :|| x4
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
||: Dm7 Am7 | Bbmaj7 :|| to fade
Show Me Love Backing Tracks | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning Show Me Love. I’ve used stem separation to extract the guitar while keeping the drums, bass, keys, horns, and vocals intact.
There is a second backing track where the keyboards are left in but the vocals are removed. Finally, a third backing track has no keyboards.
After studying the chords and TAB, use my backing tracks to prepare for playing this tune with a band.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
When we think of the chords in Show Me Love, we don’t think of a traditional chord progressions. Instead, it’s that iconic lick, looping endlessly (and maybe the bass line as well), that comes to mind.
In the TAB further down this guitar lesson, we break down exactly how to play this.
What makes this lick (or riff, motif—call it what you like) so captivating is how its intervals interact with the chords. It hits all the “money” notes with this chord progression:
||: Dm7 (VI) Am7 (III) | Bbmaj7 (IV) :||
The TAB starts by exploring how the bass line complements the main riff.
Speaking of bass, the only other notable part is in the intro and chorus tag, where a Dm chord moves up to the 5th and then to the m3rd.
To fully understand this, you’ll need the TAB again. I’ve included the notes alongside the chords and lyrics above, like so:
||: Dm (D A) | Dm (D F) :||
Hhere’s a chord chart you can use for gigs. It outlines the structure, and the chords are easy to remember, especially if you think of them in Roman numerals.
Show Me Love Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
One incredibly annoying part of learning to play Show Me Love for a gig is that there is more than one version of this tune.
What you saw above corresponds with the YouTube video, but not with Spotify. The lyrics and breakdown section are different. I know this as initially, I was working everything out using Spotify.
Luckily there aren’t that many chords in Show Me Love so you could keep your ears open on the gig and see where everyone is going.
Should you want to download my chord chart and perhaps share it with your band members before the gig to avoid a car crash, here’s a PDF: Show Me Love chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Show Me Love iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
Show Me Love | TAB
Designing guitar parts for songs without any guitar is one of my favourite challenges. Show Me Love is a prime example, as its chords aren’t immediately obvious, and the arrangement revolves around bass lines and hooks.
Let’s dive into this Show Me Love guitar lesson and create something unique for this iconic track.
The Intro Bass Line
The song begins with a bass line over a Dm chord, moving to the 5th and then the minor 3rd. Here’s the TAB (play along with the loop in the video below).
While it’s tempting to play this bass line on the guitar, it doesn’t sound quite right on guitar. A synth pedal might help transform the tone, but let’s move forward and see what else we can create.
The Main Bass Line
For the main section, we transcribe the bass line, which features syncopated rhythms. Here’s the TAB:
Playing this on guitar might clash with the bass player, but it’s essential to understand the rhythm and groove. You can experiment by moving the line up an octave, as shown below, to give it a different feel.
In the video loop below, I alternate between the lower and higher octaves.
This is a great opportunity to explore the fretboard while focusing on the intervals in CAGED chord shapes. Can you move it to more places than the TAB shows?
The Hook
The iconic Show Me Love hook is another element we can adapt. Here it is in an Am shape. Notice how its rhythm mirrors the bass line closely, though not perfectly.
To give the part more depth, I moved it to an Em shape, adding slides and pull-offs for extra texture. This version breathes more life into the hook, but be mindful—if you’re in a band, playing this might step on the keyboard player’s toes!
If there’s no keyboard player, this hook is yours to own. Practise it using the backing tracks above, focusing on keeping it consistent throughout the song—it’s a great endurance test!
Creating a Unique Guitar Part
The real challenge is inventing a guitar part that complements the song without overshadowing other instruments. Here’s an idea:
Notice how the rhythm starts after the bass, but before the hook. Separating the phrases in bars 2 and 4 creates space and a minimalist variation, echoing the simplicity of the bass line from earlier.
This approach ensures you’re contributing to the song’s arrangement rather than competing with other parts. With these techniques, you can make Show Me Love your own on guitar.
Here are all the TAB recorded as loops for you to practise with.
A global hit thanks to a rework by a DJ duo
The song began as a late ’80s/early ’90s-style RnB track. While Robin Stone provided the vocals, the song itself was written by Allen George and Fred McFarlane (listen to the original version by following the link above).
After being shelved by the label, the track got a second chance when Swedish house music DJs StoneBridge and Nick Nice remixed it. Their version transformed the song into the hit we all know today (check the video at the top of the page).
This remix, released in 1993—three years after the “original”—also marked a shift for Robin Stone, who shortened her stage name to Robin S.
There’s a valuable lesson for musicians here, and it’s revealed when you compare these two recordings.
The hit version thrives on a few strong, well-defined ideas, whereas the original is far busier. When playing in a band, it’s essential that your parts are clear and repetitive. This keeps the focus on what truly matters: the melody.
Try playing along with the hit recording. Can you loop the hook for the entire track? Or perhaps come up with a different part that complements it?
Show Me Love Chords: Continue Learning
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