Chords + Lyrics | Think
Intro
||: Bb7#9 Eb/Bb :|| x3
| Bb7#9 (Ab F Eb Db Gb) |
Chorus 1
||: Bb | Eb Bb :||
You better think (think). Think about what you’re trying to do to me.
Think (think, think). Let your mind go, let yourself be free.
Verse 1
||: Bb | Eb Bb :||
Let’s go back, let’s go back, let’s go way on, way back when.
I didn’t even know you, you couldn’t have been too much more than ten (just a child).
I ain’t no psychiatrist, I ain’t no doctor with degrees.
But it don’t take too much high IQ’s to see what you’re doing to me.
Chorus 2
You better think (think). Think about what you’re trying to do to me.
Yeah, think (think, think). Let your mind go, let yourself be free, ooh.
Bridge 1
||: Bb | Db | Eb | Bb (Ab F Eb Db Gb) :||
Freedom (freedom), freedom (freedom). Oh, freedom, yeah, freedom, I said.
Freedom (freedom), oh, oh freedom (freedom). Thinking ’bout freedom, oh freedom, alright now.
Key change
| B | B |
Hey, think about it. Please, think about it.
Verse 2
||: B | E B :||
There ain’t nothing you could ask, I could answer you but I won’t (I won’t).
But I was gonna change, but I’m not, if you keep doing things I don’t.
Chorus 3
||: B | E B :||
You better think (think). Think about what you’re trying to do to me.
Oh Lord (what you’re trying to do to me), think (think). Let your mind go, let yourself be free.
Verse 3 (as verse 2)
People walking around everyday playing games, taking scores.
Trying to make other people lose their minds, Ah, be careful you don’t lose yours, oh.
Chorus 4 (as chorus 3)
Think (think). Think about what you’re trying to do to me, ooh-oh.
Think (think). Let your mind go, let yourself be free.
Middle 8
| E9 | E9 |
You need me (need me) and I need you (don’t you know).
| E9 | E9 (A E D C G) |
Without each other, there ain’t nothing people can do, oh.
Outro
||: B | B :||
Oh, hey, think about it, Baby (What are you trying to do me, baby).
To the bone, Baby, think about it right now, yeah.
Right now (to the bone, forgiveness), woo, right now (to the bone, forgiveness).
Hey, Baby, right now (to the bone, forgiveness), you, think about it, Baby, Baby, Baby. (think about it).
(To the bone, forgiveness) Wo, to the bone, Baby, (to the bone, forgiveness) yeah.
Think Chords: Breakdown of Key Changes and Chord Movement
Verse + Chorus
The chords for Think are simple, with both the verse and chorus following a I – IV – I progression, as seen in the key of Bb:
||: Bb (I) | Eb (IV) Bb (I) :||
We then move this progression up a semitone to the key of B.
Bridge
The bridge (“Freedom…”) introduces a chord outside the key: the bIIIx. You could interpret this as borrowing from the Bb minor pentatonic scale:
| Bb (I) | Db (bIIIx) | Eb (IV) | Bb (Ab F Eb Db Gb) |
Speaking of the minor pentatonic scale, the descending line at the end is just that, starting on the b7 and moving downward.
Middle 8
The middle 8 uses the so-called “James Brown chord”, but instead of the typical Eb9, Think uses an E9:
| E9 | E9 | E9 | E9 (A E D C G) |
The notes in brackets indicate the minor pentatonic again, this time leading into the outro.
I’ve also designed some TAB, starting with the piano intro, which can be played on guitar if you’ve fired the keyboardist recently.
Additionally, I’ve included the synchronized outro from the Blues Brothers version, as most bands tend to play this arrangement.
Here’s a link to the TAB lesson: Think – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
After studying the TAB, this chord chart will be a helpful reminder during the gig, particularly for understanding the song structure.
Think Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
If you’d like to download the chart, here’s a PDF link to the Think chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro. You can access the file here: Think iReal Pro. With the iRealPro app, you can easily change the key, which is particularly useful since Aretha’s original version hits some very high notes.
Think TAB | Course Preview
In the course, you get TAB for the intro—originally a keyboard part, now arranged for guitar. The verse and chorus are fairly self-explanatory.
What’s always played live is the end, added in the Blues Brothers version. I’ve never heard a band skip it—here’s the TAB, in the key of C.
Most singers don’t take it all the way to this key, so make sure you understand the intervals used and can transpose the riff to a lower key if needed.
A Standard for the Motown/Soul Band
Aretha Franklin’s Think is a classic staple in most soul bands’ setlists, especially after its revival in the Blues Brothers film, where it was performed with a faster tempo and slightly altered arrangement.
What you see above are the original chords with lyrics from Aretha’s version of Think.
In the Blues Brothers rendition, they extend the song, repeating several sections before the outro, complete with a third key change and a synchronized outro.
The original version runs for 2:19, while the Blues Brothers version extends to 3:15.
You might think(!) it’s a good idea to ask the band which version they’ll play before the gig, but I’ve found it more fun to see whether everyone goes up to C in the end or not—it definitely keeps me on my toes.
Think Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Think (Aretha Franklin) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
