Chords + Lyrics | Use Somebody
Intro
||: C5 | C/E | F | F :|| x4
Verse 1
||: C5 | C/E | F | F :||
I’ve been roamin’ around, always lookin’ down at all I see.
Painted faces fill the places I can’t reach.
Bridge 1
||: Am | C | F | F :||
You know that I could use somebody.
You know that I could use somebody.
Verse 2
Someone like you and all you know and how you speak.
Countless lovers under cover of the street.
Bridge 2
You know that I could use somebody.
You know that I could use somebody.
Chorus 1
||: C | C/E | F | F :|| x4
Someone like you (oh, oh, oh… ).
Verse 3
Off in the night, while you live it up, I’m off to sleep.
Wagin’ wars to shape the poet and the beat.
Bridge 3
I hope it’s gonna make you notice.
I hope it’s gonna make you notice.
Chorus 2
||: Someone like me (oh, oh, oh…). :|| x3
Use somebody (oh, oh, oh…).
Middle 8
||: D5 | D5 | F#m | F#m :||
I’m ready now, I’m ready now. I’m ready now.
I’m ready now, I’m ready now. I’m ready now. I’m ready now.
Solo
||: C5 | C/E | F | F :||
(Oh, oh, oh…)
Chorus 3
||: Someone like you, use somebody (oh, oh, oh…). :|| x3
Outro
||: C | C/E | F | F :|| x4
I’ve been roamin’ around, always lookin’ down at all I see.
Use Somebody Backing Tracks | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning Use Somebody. I’ve used stem separation to extract the guitar while keeping the drums, bass, keys, 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 sharp to 441Hz. In the backing tracks, I’ve done this job for you by tuning it to 440Hz.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
Kings Of Leon‘s Use Somebody features simple yet clever chord progressions that have made it a timeless hit. Let’s break it down to find out what’s going on..
Verse + Chorus
The intro, verse, chorus, and solo all follow a basic I – IV pattern with a smooth transition from the 3rd of the I chord to the IV chord. Here’s how the progression looks:
||: C5 or C (I) | C/E (I/3) | F (IV) | F :||
Bridge
In the bridge, the progression shifts by swapping the C for Am, resulting in:
||: Am (VI) | C (I) | F (IV) | F :||
Middle 8
The middle 8 section steps outside the original key with a modal interchange.
||: D5 | D5 | F#m | F#m :||
The uplifting effect is twofold. First, we’ve moved from Am to A. Second, we’ve again gone to Lydian, this time using chord IV (D).
Songwriters take note: if you want your new section to feel uplifting, try going to Lydian—or change key and go to Lydian!
As the only guitarist in a band, knowing just the chords won’t suffice. You’ll need to design parts that work within the context of the arrangement. Simply transcribing the layers of the original recording won’t give you the full picture.
I’ve created 8 TAB examples that will work for you whether you’re playing Use Somebody as the sole guitarist in aband, or on an acoustic guitar to back a singer. Find said TAB further down this guitar lesson.
Once you’ve gone through the TAB, you can rely on this chord chart to help you recall the progressions.
Use Somebody Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Download my chord chart as a PDF or iReal Pro file:
Use Somebody | TAB
On the original recording, multiple guitar layers create a rich sound. To make this work with just one guitar in a band, we need to adapt the part. Here are a couple of ideas.
This first idea uses an E shape, then moves to the 3rd of the E shape as the bass note. What’s crucial here is the 1 2 3, 1 2 3, 1 2 rhythm. As long as you maintain this and play the correct chords, you can shape the part however you like.
Here’s another approach:
This version uses an A shape and an open E. The F chord is handled in the same way the C was in idea 1.
Bridge
The bridge changes the progression by starting on chord VI:
| A(m) | C | F | F |
The recurring F chord (chord IV) gives a strong sense of motion—the characteristic feel of the Lydian mode.
Here are two ways to play the bridge:
I like the use of the b7 here—it connects nicely to the upcoming C. There’s no m3rd, so technically we have an A7omit3.
Now we’re playing more notes, including that m3rd. I’ve also turned the F5 into a sus2 and full F.
Chorus
For the chorus, we want to open up the part and hint at the backing vocal line. This helps it feel bigger.
Here are a few ideas for doing just that (try adding some delay to fill out the sound):
As you can see, the 1 2 3, 1 2 3, 1 2 rhythm is still there!
This one may be best suited for a single acoustic guitar.
Another acoustic-friendly option—play along with the backing tracks and see which version feels most natural to you, then develop your own. Just remember, it’s that 1 2 3, 1 2 3, 1 2 rhythm that holds it all together.
Here’s the solo:
When you can play all this TAB, get to work with putting it all together using the backing tracks.
Use Somebody Chords: Continue Learning
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