Major view
G major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = F# (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = C (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Aza Nabuko - Billie Jean - Chord
Key G major – E minor Chords Em, Am, C, B7 Difficulty already in its easiest key
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Key: G | Em
Capo: 0
Em
Em
She was more like a beauty queen, from a movie scene
Am
I said; don't mind, but what do you mean, I am the one
Em
Who will dance on the floor, in the round
Am Em
She said, I am the one, who will dance on the floor, in the round
Em
She told me her name was Billie Jean, as she caused a scene
Am
Then every head turned, with eyes that dreamed of being the one
Em
Who will dance on the floor, in the round
C Em
People always told me, be careful what you d
C Em
And don't go around breaking young girl's hearts
C Em
And mother always told me; be careful of who you love
C B7
And be careful of what you do, 'cos the lie becomes the truth
Em
Billie Jean is not my lover
Am
She's just a girl who, claims that I am the one
Em
But the kid is not my son
Am
She says; I am the one
Em
But the kid is not my son
Em
For forty days and forty nights, the law was on her side
Am
But who can stand, when she's in demand, her schemes and plans
Em
Cos we danced on the floor, in the round
Am
So take my strong advice, just remember to always think twice
Em
Do think twice
Em
She told my baby we'd danced 'till three, then she looked a me
Am
Then showed a photo; my baby cried, his eyes looked like mine
Em
Go on dance on the floor, in the round, baby
C Em
People always told me; be careful what you do
C Em
And don't go around breaking young girl's hearts
C Em
She came and stood right by me; then the smell of sweet perfume
C B7
This happened much too soon; she called me to her room
Em
Billie Jean is not my lover
Am
She's just a girl who, claims that I am the one
Em
But the kid is not my son
Am
She says; I am the one
Em
But the kid is not my son
Am
She says; I am the one
Em
But the kid is not my son
End of song Play again?
Aza Nabuko - Billie Jean Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Aza Nabuko – Billie Jean: key and chord analysis
The song opens on Em and ends on Em. Its chords belong to both G major and Em, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
E minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = C (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = D (natural-minor colour)
- #7 = D# (harmonic-minor leading tone from the V chord)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the E minor side because it both starts and finishes on Em, Em is heard 24 times while G never appears and the major V chord points straight at Em. That is an interpretation, not a rule — the same chords are just as valid seen from G major, and switching between the two views is exactly where the practice value lies.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to G or to Em; 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 | G | Tonic — home | G · B · D | — |
| ii | Am | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | A · C · E | 11× |
| iii | Bm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | B · D · F# | — |
| V7/vi | B7 | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Emsecondary dominant | B · D# · F# · A | 2× |
| IV | C | Subdominant — moves away from home | C · E · G | 8× |
| V | D | Dominant — strongest pull home | D · F# · A | — |
| vi | Em | Relative minor — the melancholy side | E · G · B | 24× |
| vii° | F#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | F# · A · C | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Em | Tonic — home | E · G · B | 24× |
| ii° | F#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | F# · A · C | — |
| III | G | Relative major — the bright side | G · B · D | — |
| iv | Am | Subdominant — moves away from home | A · C · E | 11× |
| v | Bm | Minor dominant — soft pull | B · D · F# | — |
| V7 | B7 | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | B · D# · F# · A | 2× |
| VI | C | Submediant — warm colour | C · E · G | 8× |
| VII | D | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | D · F# · A | — |
Analysis
The key pair is G major and its relative E minor (1 sharp). 4 different chords appear 45 times in total; 3 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. The major V of Em brings the harmonic-minor leading tone, giving the minor side a sharper, more dramatic pull; seen from G, the same B7 is V7/vi, a secondary dominant heading for Em.
Chord movement
- Am Em Gii → vi Emiv → iminor plagal ×11
- C Em GIV → vi EmVI → iVI → i ×6
- B7 Em GV7/vi → visecondary resolution EmV7 → iharmonic-minor cadence ×2
The move to watch is Am → Em, heard 11 times. From the Em side it is iv → i (minor plagal: deep and melancholic); from the G side it reads ii → vi. Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- G major pentatonic and E minor pentatonic are the same five notes (G – A – B – D – E): start from G for a brighter phrase, from E for a bluesier one.
- Over Em, land on E, G, B — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Am, land on A, C, E — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over C, land on C, E, G — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- When B7 comes, swap the scale's D for D#: that single note is the harmonic-minor sound of the chord.
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 G major shapes
- No capo — open G shapes
- Capo 3 + E shapes
- Capo 5 + D shapes
With E minor shapes
- No capo — open Em shapes
- Capo 2 + Dm shapes
- Capo 7 + Am shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
The song is already written in its easiest key for guitar.
The song's harmonic story
The first chord is Em; the ear learns where home is within a second. The backbone is Em, Am, C, B7 — vi–ii–IV–V7/vi from the G side, i–iv–VI–V7 from the Em side. B7 is the interesting twist: in G it is a chromatic chord (V7/vi), while in Em it becomes the dominant (V7) that makes the minor side sound so determined. Keep an ear on Am → Em (ii → vi in G, iv → i in Em): minor plagal — deep and melancholic. The final chord is Em; the ear comes to rest in Em.
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.
Aza Nabuko - Billie Jean 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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