Major view
A major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = G# (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = D (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Sam Smith - Lay Me Down - Chord
Key A major – F# minor Chords Gbm, A, E, Dbm, Emaj7, Amaj7, B, A6 … Easy key C
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Key: A | Gbm | F#m
Capo: 0
Emaj7
Yes I do, I believe
That one day I will be, where I was
Amaj7
Right there, right next to you
And it's hard, the days just seem so dark
The moon, the stars, are nothing without you
Emaj7
Your touch, your skin, where do I begin
Amaj7
No words can explain, the way I'm missing you
The night, this emptiness, this hole that I'm inside
These tears, they tell their own story
Gbm A Dbm B
You told me not to cry when you were gone
Gbm A E/B Gbm/B
But the feelings overwhelming, it's much too strong
E Dbm Gbm A
Can I lay by your side, next to you, you
E Dbm
And make sure you're alright
Gbm A
I'll take care of you,
A B E
And I don't want to be here if I can't be with you tonight
Emaj7
I'm reaching out to you
Amaj7
Can you hear my call
Emaj7
This hurt that I've been through
Amaj7
I'm missing you, missing you like crazy
E E/Eb Dbm Gbm A
Can I lay by your side, next to you, you
E Dbm
And make sure you're alright
Gbm A
I'll take care of you,
A B
And I don't want to be here if I can't be with you tonight
Gbm A6 Dmaj7 Bm7
Lay me down tonight
Gbm A6 Dmaj7 Bm7
lay me by your side
Gbm A6 Dmaj7 Bm7
Lay me down tonight
Gbm A6 Dmaj7 Bm7
lay me by your side
E Dbm Gbm A B E
Can I lay by your side, next to you, you
End of song Play again?
Sam Smith - Lay Me Down Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Sam Smith – Lay Me Down: key and chord analysis
The song opens on Emaj7 and ends on E. Its chords belong to both A major and F#m, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
F# minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = D (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = E (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the A major side because A is heard 17 times against 12 for F#m. That is an interpretation, not a rule — hearing the same chords from F# minor is just as valid and teaches you something different.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to A or to F#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 | A | Tonic — home | A · C# · E | 9× |
| Imaj7 | Amaj7 | Tonic — home | A · C# · E · G# | 4× |
| I6 | A6 | Tonic — home | A · C# · E · F# | 4× |
| ii7 | Bm7 | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | B · D · F# · A | 4× |
| V/V | B | Secondary dominant V/V — leads to Esecondary dominant | B · D# · F# | 4× |
| iii | Dbm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | Db · Fb · Ab | 6× |
| V/vi | C# | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Gbmsecondary dominant | C# · E# · G# | — |
| IVmaj7 | Dmaj7 | Subdominant — moves away from home | D · F# · A · C# | 4× |
| V | E | Dominant — strongest pull home | E · G# · B | 7× |
| V | E/B | Dominant — strongest pull home | E · G# · B | 1× |
| V | E/Eb | Dominant — strongest pull home | E · G# · B | 1× |
| Vmaj7 | Emaj7 | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | E · G# · B · D# | 4× |
| vi | Gbm | Relative minor — the melancholy side | Gb · A · Db | 11× |
| vi | Gbm/B | Relative minor — the melancholy side | Gb · A · Db | 1× |
| vii° | G#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | G# · B · D | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Gbm | Tonic — home | Gb · A · Db | 11× |
| i | Gbm/B | Tonic — home | Gb · A · Db | 1× |
| ii° | G#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | G# · B · D | — |
| III | A | Relative major — the bright side | A · C# · E | 9× |
| IIImaj7 | Amaj7 | Relative major — the bright side | A · C# · E · G# | 4× |
| III6 | A6 | Relative major — the bright side | A · C# · E · F# | 4× |
| iv7 | Bm7 | Subdominant — moves away from home | B · D · F# · A | 4× |
| IV | B | Major IV — Dorian / melodic-minor colourmodal colour | B · D# · F# | 4× |
| v | Dbm | Minor dominant — soft pull | Db · Fb · Ab | 6× |
| V | C# | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | C# · E# · G# | — |
| VImaj7 | Dmaj7 | Submediant — warm colour | D · F# · A · C# | 4× |
| VII | E | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | E · G# · B | 7× |
| VII | E/B | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | E · G# · B | 1× |
| VII | E/Eb | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | E · G# · B | 1× |
| V/III | Emaj7 | Secondary dominant V/III — leads to Asecondary dominant | E · G# · B · D# | 4× |
Analysis
The key pair is A major and its relative F# minor (3 sharps). 13 different chords appear 60 times in total; 11 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. Emaj7, B act as secondary dominants, briefly pointing at another chord of the key.
Chord movement
- Dbm Gbm Aiii → vi F#mv → inatural-minor cadence ×5
- Bm7 Gbm Aii7 → vi F#miv7 → iminor plagal ×3
- E/B Gbm/B AV → videceptive cadence F#mVII → iAeolian arrival ×1
- Bm7 E Aii7 → Vii → V F#miv7 → VII ×1
The move to watch is Dbm → Gbm, heard 5 times. From the A side it reads iii → vi; from the F#m side it is v → i (natural-minor cadence: gentle, modal arrival). Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- A major pentatonic and F# minor pentatonic are the same five notes (A – B – C# – E – F#): start from A for a brighter phrase, from F# for a bluesier one.
- Over Gbm, land on Gb, A, Db — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- 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.
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 A major shapes
- No capo — open A shapes
- Capo 2 + G shapes
- Capo 5 + E shapes
With F# minor shapes
- Capo 2 + Em shapes
- Capo 4 + Dm shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
- 3 semitones up
- 2 semitones down · capo 2 keeps the original pitch
The song's harmonic story
The first chord is Emaj7; the ear learns where home is within a second. Gbm, A, E, Dbm carry the song: vi–I–V–iii relative to A, i–III–VII–v relative to F#m. Emaj7 adds a moment of surprise: secondary dominant V/III — leads to A. Keep an ear on Dbm → Gbm (iii → vi in A, v → i in F#m): natural-minor cadence — gentle, modal arrival. It closes on E, letting the A 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.
Sam Smith - Lay Me Down 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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