A Natural Woman | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
| N.C F/C Bb/C F/C |
Verse 1
| C | G/B | Bb | F F C/E Dm |
Looking out on the morning rain, I used to feel so uninspired.
| C | G/B | Bb | F F C/E Dm |
And when I knew I had to face another day. Lord, it made me feel so tired.
Bridge 1
| Dm7 Em7 | Dm7 Em7 |
Before the day I met you, life was so unkind.
| Dm7 Em7 | Dm7 G11 |
But you’re the key to my peace of mind, ’cause you make me
Chorus 1
| C F F/A | C F F/A |
feel. You make me feel. You make me
| (C A G E D C) | Gsus4/D F/G C/G Dm/G |
feel like a natural woman (woman).
Verse 2
| C | G/B | Bb | F F C/E Dm |
When my soul was in the lost and found, you came along to claim it.
| C | G/B | Bb | F F C/E Dm |
I didn’t know just what was wrong with me. ’Til your kiss helped me name it.
Bridge 2
| Dm7 Em7 | Dm7 Em7 |
Now I’m no longer doubtful, of what I’m living for.
| Dm7 Em7 | Dm7 G11 |
And if I make you happy I don’t need to do more, ’cause you make me
Chorus 2
| C F F/A | C F F/A |
feel. You make me feel. You make me
| (C A G E D C) | Gsus4/D F/G C/G Dm/G |
feel like a natural woman (woman).
Middle 8
| C | Gm9 |
Oh, baby, what you’ve done to me (what you’ve done to me).
| C | Gm9 |
You make me feel so good inside (good inside).
| Fmaj7 | Cm7 |
And I just want to be (want to be).
| Fmaj7 C/E | Dm7 G11 |
Close to you, you make me feel so alive. You make me
Chorus 3
| C F F/A | C F F/A |
feel. You make me feel. You make me
| (C A G E D C) | Gsus4/D F/G C/G Dm/G |
feel like a natural woman (woman). You make me
Chorus 4
| C F F/A | C F F/A |
feel. You make me feel. You make me
| (C A G E D C) | Gsus4/D F/G C/G Dm/G |
feel like a natural woman (woman). You make me
| C F F/A | C F F/A |
feel. You make me feel.
A Natural Woman’s chords and progressions
In the key of C, we move chromatically down from the I chord using the 3rd of the V chord, to the bVII. C – G/B – Bb.
This is followed by chord IV, and then a similar chromatic idea using the 3rd of chord I, down to chord II. F – C/E – Dm.
These two movements are the core of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman’s chords. Here’s the verse progression:
||: C | G/B | Bb | F F C/E Dm :||
The bridge moves between chords II – III, Dm7 – Em7 and finishes off on a G11, like this:
| Dm7 Em7 | Dm7 Em7 |
| Dm7 Em7 | Dm7 G11 |
The chorus has yet another slash chord. Start on chord I, chord IV, and chord IV with the 3rd in the bass. C – F – F/A. This is followed by more descending bass line work.
| C F F/A | C F F/A |
| (C A G E D C) | Gsus4/D F/G C/G Dm/G |
Finally, the m8 uses the extremely rare Vm chord. C – Gm9 is so rare it makes us sit up and pay attention. This is then moved to Fmaj7 – Cm7, which is the same idea in a new key.
The final line of the middle 8 brings us a modified version of an earlier chord progression as we go Fmaj7 – C/E – Dm7 – G11.
| C | Gm9 | C | Gm9 |
| Fmaj7 | Cm7 | Fmaj7 C/E | Dm7 G11 |
If you are an aspiring songwriter, you should study all chord progressions in (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman very carefully.
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman was written by Carole King!
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman was written by lyricist Gerry Goffin and his famous wife, Carole King.
Initially released in 1967 by Aretha Franklin, it was set to become one of her most famous hits.
The song made history in the U.K. as it entered the charts over 50 years later when Aretha passed away.
Carol King herself recorded her own song in 1971 for her legendary album Tapestry. Since then, many other artists have covered it, including Celine Dion and Mary J Blidge.
And let’s not forget the millions of pro and semi-pro soul singers that sing A Natural Woman every weekend at a private party, in a bar, or club somewhere in the world.
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