Major view
D major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = C# (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = G (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Chris Stapleton - Tennessee Whiskey - Chord
Key D major – B minor Chords A, Bm, D Easy key C (capo 2)
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Key: D | Bm
Capo: 0
A Bm Bm A
A Bm
Used to spend my nights out in a barroom
A A D A
Liquor was the only love I’ve known
A Bm
But you rescued me from reachin’ for the bottom
A A D A
And brought me back from being too far gone
A A D A Bm
You’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey
A A D A
You’re as sweeeeet as strawberry wine
Bm
You’re as warm as a glass of brandy
A A D A
And honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time
A Bm
I’ve looked for love in all the same old places
A A D A
Found the bottom of a bottle was always dry
A Bm
But when you poured out your heart I didn’t waste it
A D A
‘Cause there’s nothing like your love to get me high, yeah
A A D A Bm
You’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey
A A D A
You’re as sweeeeet as strawberry wine
Bm
You’re as warm as a glass of brandy
A A D A
And honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time
A A D A Bm
You’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey
A A D A
Tennessee whiskey, Tennessee whiskey
Bm
You’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey
A
Tennessee whiskey, Tennessee whiskey
End of song Play again?
Chris Stapleton - Tennessee Whiskey Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Chris Stapleton – Tennessee Whiskey: key and chord analysis
The song opens on A and ends on A. Its chords belong to both D major and Bm, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
B minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = G (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = A (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: we can't honestly pick a side here — the song moves freely between D major and B minor. Try reading the chords both ways and see which feels more like home to you.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to D or to Bm; comparing both readings is a practice of its own.
Every chord of the key, listed 1 to 7 separately for each key. Chords played in the song show how often they appear; chords from outside the scale sit next to their own degree.
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | D | Tonic — home | D · F# · A | 12× |
| ii | Em | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | E · G · B | — |
| iii | F#m | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | F# · A · C# | — |
| V/vi | F# | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Bmsecondary dominant | F# · A# · C# | — |
| IV | G | Subdominant — moves away from home | G · B · D | — |
| V | A | Dominant — strongest pull home | A · C# · E | 42× |
| vi | Bm | Relative minor — the melancholy side | B · D · F# | 12× |
| vii° | C#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | C# · E · G | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Bm | Tonic — home | B · D · F# | 12× |
| ii° | C#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | C# · E · G | — |
| III | D | Relative major — the bright side | D · F# · A | 12× |
| iv | Em | Subdominant — moves away from home | E · G · B | — |
| v | F#m | Minor dominant — soft pull | F# · A · C# | — |
| V | F# | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | F# · A# · C# | — |
| VI | G | Submediant — warm colour | G · B · D | — |
| VII | A | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | A · C# · E | 42× |
Analysis
The key pair is D major and its relative B minor (2 sharps). 3 different chords appear 66 times in total; 3 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. Everything stays inside one scale, which is why the song is easy to follow by ear.
Chord movement
- A D DV → Iauthentic cadence BmVII → III ×12
- A Bm DV → videceptive cadence BmVII → iAeolian arrival ×11
The move to watch is A → D, heard 12 times. From the D side it reads V → I (authentic cadence: the strongest arrival home); from the Bm side it is VII → III. Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- D major pentatonic and B minor pentatonic are the same five notes (D – E – F# – A – B): start from D for a brighter phrase, from B for a bluesier one.
- Over A, land on A, C#, E — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Bm, land on B, D, F# — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over D, land on D, F#, A — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
The song on the circle of fifths
- Played in the song — chord of the key
- Played — the minor's harmonic V or a secondary dominant
- Played — borrowed or outside chord
- Home region: IV–I–V and ii–vi–iii
Empty slices are chords the song doesn't use.
Capo and easier keys
With D major shapes
- No capo — open D shapes
- Capo 2 + C shapes
- Capo 5 + A shapes
With B minor shapes
- Capo 2 + Am shapes
- Capo 7 + Em shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
- 2 semitones down · capo 2 keeps the original pitch
- 5 semitones up · capo 7 keeps the original pitch
The song's harmonic story
Starting on A, the song gives away its key from the very first bar. The chords that keep coming back are A, Bm, D; read them as V–vi–I in D or VII–i–III in Bm. No chord leaves the shared scale, so a single pentatonic shape works over the whole song. Keep an ear on A → D (V → I in D, VII → III in Bm): authentic cadence — the strongest arrival home. Ending on A, the song seals D as home.
This analysis is generated from the song's chords by akorculuk's harmony engine using consistent rules. When you change key, the degrees stay the same; only the chord names change.
Chris Stapleton - Tennessee Whiskey Chords on Guitar, Ukulele and Piano
Hover over or tap a chord in the lyrics for its shapes, its degree in both keys and a listen button. Here you have every chord of the song side by side.
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