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)
Michael Jackson - Black Or White - Chord
Key D major – B minor Chords A, E, Em, B, G Easy key G (capo 7)
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Key: D | Bm
Capo: 0
E
I took my baby on a Saturday bang
Boy is that girl with you? Yes, we're one and the same
A
Now I believe in miracles
and a miracle has happened tonight
B
But, if you're thinkin' about my baby
A E
it don't matter if you're black or white
E
They print my message in the Saturday Sun
I had to tell them, I ain't second to none
A
And I told about equality
and it's true, either you're wrong or you're right
B
But, if you're thinkin' about my baby
A E
it don't matter if you're black or white
E G A
I`m tired of this devil, I`m tired of this stuff
G A
I`m tired of this business, so when the going gets rough
G A
I ain't scared of your brother, I ain't scared of no sheets
G A
I ain't scared of nobody, girl when the goin' gets mean
Em A
Protection for gangs, clubs, and nations
Em A
causing grief in human relations
Em A
It's a turf war on a global scale
Em A
I'd rather hear both sides of the tale
Em A Em
See, it's not about races, just places, faces
A Em
Where your blood comes from is where your space is
A
I've seen the bright get duller
A
I'm not going to spend my life being a color
A
Don't tell me you agree with me,
E
when I saw you kicking dirt in my eye
B
But, if you're thinkin' about my baby
A E
it don't matter if you're black or white
B
I said, if you're thinkin' about my baby
A E
it don't matter if you're black or white
B
I said, if you're thinkin' of being my brother
A E
it don't matter if you're black or white
End of song Play again?
Michael Jackson - Black Or White Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Michael Jackson – Black Or White: key and chord analysis
The song opens on E and ends on E. 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 | — |
| ii | Em | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | E · G · B | 7× |
| V/V | E | Secondary dominant V/V — leads to Asecondary dominant | E · G# · B | 9× |
| 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 | 4× |
| V | A | Dominant — strongest pull home | A · C# · E | 20× |
| vi | Bm | Relative minor — the melancholy side | B · D · F# | — |
| V/ii | B | Secondary dominant V/ii — leads to Emsecondary dominant | B · D# · F# | 5× |
| vii° | C#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | C# · E · G | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Bm | Tonic — home | B · D · F# | — |
| V/iv | B | Secondary dominant V/iv — leads to Emsecondary dominant | B · D# · F# | 5× |
| ii° | C#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | C# · E · G | — |
| III | D | Relative major — the bright side | D · F# · A | — |
| iv | Em | Subdominant — moves away from home | E · G · B | 7× |
| IV | E | Major IV — Dorian / melodic-minor colourmodal colour | E · G# · B | 9× |
| 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 | 4× |
| VII | A | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | A · C# · E | 20× |
Analysis
The key pair is D major and its relative B minor (2 sharps). 5 different chords appear 45 times in total; 3 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. E, B act as secondary dominants, briefly pointing at another chord of the key.
Chord movement
- Em A Dii → Vii → V Bmiv → VII ×7
- G A DIV → VIV → V BmVI → VIIVI → VII ×4
The move to watch is Em → A, heard 7 times. From the D side it reads ii → V (ii → V: the classic preparation of the dominant); from the Bm side it is iv → VII. 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 E, land on E, G#, B — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Em, land on E, G, B — 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
- 5 semitones up · capo 7 keeps the original pitch
- 2 semitones down · capo 2 keeps the original pitch
The song's harmonic story
Starting on E, the song gives away its key from the very first bar. A, E, Em, B carry the song: V–V/V–ii–V/ii relative to D, VII–IV–iv–V/iv relative to Bm. E adds a moment of surprise: secondary dominant V/V — leads to A. Keep an ear on Em → A (ii → V in D, iv → VII in Bm): ii → V — the classic preparation of the dominant. Ending on E, 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.
Michael Jackson - Black Or White 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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