Tenderness | Chords + Lyrics (key of G)
Intro (0:00)
| 12/8 G9b5 |
Verse 1 (0:09)
| C | B7 | Em G | C C#dim7 |
What can I do, what can I do? Much of what you say is true,
| G/D | D D11 | G Bb/F F | Em G |
I know you see through me, but there’s no tenderness, beneath your honesty.
Verse 2 (0:48)
| C | B7 | Em G | C C#dim7 |
Right and wrong, right and wrong, never helped us get along.
| G/D | D D11 | G Bb/F F | Em B7 |
You say you care for me, but there’s no tenderness, beneath your honesty.
Bridge (1:28)
| 15/8 C#m G#7 A7 G#7 | 12/8 E B C# | E D#9 G#7 |
You and me, were such good friends, what’s your hurry?
| 15/8 C#m G#7 A7 G#7 | 12/8 E B/D# | F#m D7 | G G7 |
You and me, could make amends, I’m not worried, I’m not worried.
Verse 3 (2:04)
| C | B7 | Em G | C C#dim7 |
Honesty, honesty, it’s such a waste of energy.
| G/D | D D11 | G E |
I know you see through me, but there’s no tenderness, beneath your honesty. No, you don’t have to
| A7 D7 | D7 |
lie to me, just give me some tenderness.
Outro (2:48)
| G Em | Eb9 D9 | G |
Mm, hm.
| C C#dim7 | G | D | G Bb/F F | G |
Oh-oh. mm-hm. Tenderness.
Tenderness’ chords and progressions
The intro is simply a G9b5 chord played as an arpeggio, waiting for the verse to kick in.
The first verses are pretty much identical, only the last bar differs, Em – G, or Em – B7.
|12/8 C | B7 | Em G | C C#dim7 |
| G/D | D D11 | G Bb/F F | Em G |
| C | B7 | Em G | C C#dim7 |
| G/D | D D11 | G Bb/F F | Em B7 |
The bridge starts off with an odd time signature in 15/8.
| 15/8 C#m G#7 A7 G#7 | 12/8 E B C# | E D#9 G#7 |
| 15/8 C#m G#7 A7 G#7 | 12/8 E B/D# | F#m D7 | G |
The final verse includes more modifications.
| C | B7 | Em G | C C#dim7 |
| G/D | D D11 | G E |
| A7 D7 | D7 |
The outro dwells on the theme and finds even more chords!
| G Em | Eb9 D9 | G |
| C C#dim7 | G | D | G Bb/F F | G |
Tenderness chord progression tricks
The first chord, a G9b5 is a trick!
It sounds like it’s the V chord going to chord I but it’s not, this is chord I, leading to chord IV.
Straight away we’re in for some seriously clever chord movements. Looks like Paul Simon picked up a thing or two since his days in Simon & Garfunkel.
The original song is in a different key from what I’ve recorded it in.
I’m in the key of G, the original recording is in C. I did this as my singer is female and it sounded much better for her in this key.
Changing the key is easy if you use Roman Numerals, even when the progression is as complicated as in Tenderness.
Tenderness time signatures
If the chords seem complicated in Tenderness, check out the time signatures!
First of all, the original version is more straightforward in 4/4. My version has more of a triplet feel which puts it in 12/8. 12/8 is like 4/4 with a triplet over each beat.
When Tenderness eventually gets the extra beat, instead of calling those bars 5/4, they become a 15/8 time signature. This is not actually as complicated as it may sound, you simply add one more “beat of 1 2 3″.
Let’s take a look at all the chords when paired with lyrics.
Tenderness chords | Related pages
Tenderness – 8 guitar lessons
Tenderness by Paul Simon will soon be available as eight step-by-step guitar lessons.
Until then, TAB for what I play in the video is available.
Tenderness – 8 guitar lessons.
Advanced Acoustic Songs
These songs use big chord extensions and sometimes, unique and complex chords that incorporate open strings.
Study these in-depth and you will gain a complete understanding of the guitar fretboard, including how to build any scale, arpeggio, or chord.
Tenderness – 5 similar tunes
- At Last chords
- Can’t Take My Eyes Off You chords
- Georgia On My Mind chords
- If I Ain’t Got You chords
- Just The Two Of Us chords
Paul Simon
Paul Simon is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, both as half of the folk-singing duo Simon and Garfunkel and also as a solo artist.
His many hits include Homeward Bound, Scarborough Fair, You Can Call Me Al, The Boxer, Cecilia, Mrs. Robinson, and Graceland.
Paul Simon on the web
