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 Backing Tracks | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning Think. I’ve used stem separation to extract the guitar while keeping the drums, bass, keys, horns, and vocals intact.
After studying the chords and TAB, use my backing tracks to prepare for playing this tune with a band.
Should you want to play along with the original recording instead, you need to tune your guitar down to 438Hz. In the backing tracks, I’ve done this job for you by tuning it to 440Hz.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
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 been successful in your campaign to fire the keyboard player.
Additionally, I’ve included the synchronised outro from Blues Brothers’ version, as most bands tend to play this arrangement. You’ll find this TAB when you keep scrolling down this guitar lesson
After studying the TAB, this chord chart will be a helpful reminder during the gig, particularly for understanding the song structure, the chords from Think, as as mentioned, really easy!
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
Let’s go through all sections, starting with the piano intro, which can be played on guitar.
What we have here is a Bb7 that moves from minor to major. This means we can call it a Bb7#9. At the end of the bar, we hit an Eb/Bb.
The riff is slightly different in bar one compared to bars two and three. In bar four, we get the descending riff where everyone joins in. Here it is in TAB.
The Blues Brothers intro is slightly different, this transcription is from Aretha’s recording. Speakig of the the Blues Brothers version, you’ll need to play a bridge in B, then go up to C for another verse, chorus, M8, and then the outro, all in the key of C.
The outro is not like the verse and chorus—here we just stay on the I chord.
Finally, the synchronized outro is a must, no matter what version you play—it’s so brilliant! Shown here in C using TAB:
In my experience, what usually happens is that you end up playing the Blues Brothers version with three key changes, one M8 only, and instead of starting in Bb, you’ll start in Ab—few singers can handle Aretha Franklin’s original key.
Luckily, no matter what key or how many changes, it’s the same simple concept throughout. Moving Think’s chords around the fretboard isn’t that difficult.
If you’re a singer—or want to help one out—show them the third video in the playlist at the top of this guitar lesson and point out that if Lenny Kravitz changes the melody, so can they!
If it were up to me, I’d stick with the original version, blend the two guitar parts, and just borrow that outro. The tempo feels much better on the original recording, and the guitar work is sensational.
The best way to approach learning Think is to put my backing tracks on repeat!
Think Chords: Continue Learning
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