Higher and Higher | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
| N.C | N.C | D | G/D | Em/D | D |
Verse 1
| D | G/D | Em/D | D |
Your love, lifting me higher, than I’ve ever been lifted before.
| D | G/D | Em/D | D |
So keep it up, quench my desire and I’ll be at your side, forevermore.
Chorus 1
| D | G/D |
You know your love (your love keeps lifting me). Keep on lifting (love keeps lifting me).
| Em/D | D |
Higher (lifting me). Higher and higher (higher).
| D | G/D |
I said your love (your love keeps lifting me). Keep on (love keeps lifting me).
| Em/D | D |
Lifting me (lifting me). Higher and higher (higher).
Verse 2
| D | G/D | Em/D | D |
Now once, I was downhearted. Disappointment was my closest friend.
| D | G/D | Em/D | D |
But then you, came and it soon departed and you know he never showed his face again.
Chorus 2
| D | G/D |
That’s why your love (your love keeps lifting me). Keep on lifting (love keeps lifting me).
| Em/D | D |
Higher (lifting me). Higher and higher (higher).
| D | G/D |
I said your love (your love keeps lifting me). Keep on (love keeps lifting me).
| Em/D | D |
Lifting me (lifting me). Higher and higher (higher).
Instrumental
||: D | G/D | Em/D | D :||
Alright. oooh, oh.
Verse 3
| D | G/D | Em/D | D |
I’m so glad, I’ve finally found you. Yes that one, in a million girls.
| D | G/D | Em/D | D |
And I whip, my loving arms around you. Honey, I can stand up, and face the world.
Chorus 3
| D | G/D |
Let me tell ya your love (your love keeps lifting me). Keep on lifting (love keeps lifting me).
| Em/D | D |
Higher (lifting me). Higher and higher (higher).
| D | G/D |
And I said your love (your love keeps lifting me). Keep on (love keeps lifting me).
| Em/D | D |
Lifting me (lifting me). Higher and higher (higher).
Outro
| D | G/D |
Alright now sock it to me (lifting, lifting, lifting me). Come on now lift me up woman (Love keeps lifting me).
| Em/D | D |
Keep my love going (lifting me). Higher and higher (higher).
| D | G/D |
I said keep on lifting (lifting, lifting, lifting). Lift me up mama (lift, lift, lifting me).
| Em/D | D |
Keep on lifting me (lifting me) Higher and higher.
Higher and Higher’s chords and progression
The bass line is integral to the song, so let’s start with working that out. Essentially, we are hitting the home chord, D, using the intervals 5th and b7 to get us there.
On my top 10 chord progression list, this could be filed under #6, the static I.
As well as this, the chords move from I – IV – II – I. Maintaining chord I’s root, the chords look like this:
||: D | G/D | Em/D | D :||
As no other chords are played for (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher, we have to build excitement through dynamics instead.
One can only imagine how Mr. Excitement would use this song as a tool to get the crowd going back in the day!
Mr. Excitement takes you higher and higher!
In 1967, Mr. Excitement (Jackie Wilson) released (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher as a single from the forthcoming album Higher and Higher on record label Brunswick Records.
The band behind him was members of Motown’s Funk Brothers who often would do work away from the watchful eye of Berry Gordy‘s label Motown, as long as they got paid in cash!
The song became an instant success, quickly claiming the #1 spot in the U.S.
Outside the U.S. it didn’t have as much success in the charts but has over the years stayed in the public domain through ads and every Motown soul band having it on their repertoire, especially if they’re playing a wedding.
Perhaps it’s the obvious lyrical content that makes it such a perfect fit, or maybe it’s the fact that you can learn the chords in a few seconds.
Songs with chords that are this simple make the band relax and enable them to play on dynamics and audience interaction instead, not a bad idea!
The Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time list placed (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher at #246.
Higher and Higher chords | Related pages
Intermediate Electric
The intermediate electric tunes will help you with learning the CAGED system all over the fretboard, both for chords and pentatonic scales.
Learn these Motown/Soul classics, and you’ll not just improve dramatically but also gain yourself a repertoire.
Five similar tunes with chords and lyrics
Jackie Wilson
Mr. Excitement, Jackie Wilson was an energetic performer that launched his career with a worldwide hit in Reet Petite in 1957.
26 studio albums later he had two more smash hits (You’re Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher as well as I Get The Sweetest Feeling.
Jackie Wilson on the web
Motown & Soul
You can learn how to play these Motown & Soul tunes, and in doing so, gain yourself a repertoire so you can jam with, or even join a working band.
Study these tunes in-depth and you will map out the fretboard, master the CAGED system, and learn how to design a rhythm guitar part that works in a band.
