Major view
E major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = D# (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = A (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Billie Eilish - When the Party's Over - Chord
Key E major – C# minor Chords A, E, C#m, F#m, B, A#dim Easy key G
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Key: E | Dbm | C#m
Capo: 0
A C#m E A
A C#m E A
Don't ya know I'm no good for you
C#m E A
I've learned to lose, you can't afford to
C#m E A
Tore my shirt to stop you bleeding
A C#m E A
But nothing ever stops you leaving
A C#m E A
Quiet when I'm coming home, I'm on my own
F#m C#m E A
I could lie and say I like it like that, like it like that
F#m C#m E A
I could lie and say I like it like that, like it like that
A C#m E A
Don't ya know too much already
C#m E A
I'll only hurt you if you let me
C#m E A
Call me friend, but keep me closer
E
(Call me back)
A C#m E A
And I'll call you when the party's over
A C#m E A
Quiet when I'm coming home, I'm on my own
F#m C#m E A
I could lie and say I like it like that, like it like that
F#m C#m E A
I could lie and say I like it like that, like it like that
F#m C#m E A
But nothing is better, sometimes
F#m C#m E A
Once we've both said our goodbyes
B A A#dim
Let's just let it go
B A
Let me let you go
A C#m E A
Quiet when I'm coming home, I'm on my own (my own)
F#m C#m E A
I could lie and say I like it like that, like it like that
F#m C#m E A
I could lie and say I like it like that, like it like that
End of song Play again?
Billie Eilish - When the Party's Over Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Billie Eilish – When the Party's Over: key and chord analysis
The song opens on A and ends on A. Its chords belong to both E major and C#m, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
C# minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = A (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = B (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the E major side because E is heard 21 times against 20 for C#m. That is an interpretation, not a rule — hearing the same chords from C# minor is just as valid and teaches you something different.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to E or to C#m; 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 | E | Tonic — home | E · G# · B | 21× |
| ii | F#m | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | F# · A · C# | 8× |
| iii | G#m | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | G# · B · D# | — |
| V/vi | G# | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to C#msecondary dominant | G# · B# · D# | — |
| IV | A | Subdominant — moves away from home | A · C# · E | 30× |
| vii°/V | A#dim | Secondary leading-tone chord vii°/V — leads to Bsecondary dominant | A# · C# · E | 1× |
| V | B | Dominant — strongest pull home | B · D# · F# | 2× |
| vi | C#m | Relative minor — the melancholy side | C# · E · G# | 20× |
| vii° | D#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | D# · F# · A | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | C#m | Tonic — home | C# · E · G# | 20× |
| ii° | D#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | D# · F# · A | — |
| III | E | Relative major — the bright side | E · G# · B | 21× |
| iv | F#m | Subdominant — moves away from home | F# · A · C# | 8× |
| v | G#m | Minor dominant — soft pull | G# · B · D# | — |
| V | G# | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | G# · B# · D# | — |
| VI | A | Submediant — warm colour | A · C# · E | 30× |
| vii°/VII | A#dim | Secondary leading-tone chord vii°/VII — leads to Bsecondary dominant | A# · C# · E | 1× |
| VII | B | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | B · D# · F# | 2× |
Analysis
The key pair is E major and its relative C# minor (4 sharps). 6 different chords appear 82 times in total; 5 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. A#dim acts as a secondary dominant, briefly pointing at another chord of the key.
Chord movement
- A C#m EIV → vi C#mVI → iVI → i ×12
- F#m C#m Eii → vi C#miv → iminor plagal ×8
- A E EIV → Iplagal cadence C#mVI → III ×1
- A B EIV → VIV → V C#mVI → VIIVI → VII ×1
The move to watch is A → C#m, heard 12 times. From the E side it reads IV → vi; from the C#m side it is VI → i (VI → i: falls a half step into home). Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- E major pentatonic and C# minor pentatonic are the same five notes (E – F# – G# – B – C#): start from E for a brighter phrase, from C# for a bluesier one.
- Over A, land on A, C#, E — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over E, land on E, G#, B — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over C#m, land on C#, E, G# — 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 E major shapes
- No capo — open E shapes
- Capo 2 + D shapes
- Capo 4 + C shapes
With C# minor shapes
- Capo 4 + Am shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
- 3 semitones up
- 2 semitones down · capo 2 keeps the original pitch
The song's harmonic story
The opening A lays a solid floor for everything that follows. The chords that keep coming back are A, E, C#m, F#m; read them as IV–I–vi–ii in E or VI–III–i–iv in C#m. A#dim adds a moment of surprise: secondary leading-tone chord vii°/V — leads to B. Keep an ear on A → C#m (IV → vi in E, VI → i in C#m): VI → i — falls a half step into home. It closes on A, letting the E side have the last word.
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.
Billie Eilish - When the Party's Over 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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