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)
Sam Smith - Nirvana - Chord
Key G major – E minor Chords Em, C, G, Bm7 Difficulty already in its easiest key
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Key: G | Em
Capo: 0
Em C G Bm7 Em C G
Em C G
Oh baby, oh baby, oh we both know the truth
Bm7 Em
If it were the real me and you
C G
This wouldn't be the right thing to do
Em C G
Now the room is so hazy, we're too lost in the fumes
Bm7 Em
I feel like it's just me and you
C G
Yeah we got nothing to lose
Em
It's too late to run away from it all
C G
It's too late to get away from it all
Bm7 Em C G
I'm done with running so I give in to you
Em C G
This moment has caused a reaction
Bm7 Em C G
Resulting in our reattachment
Em C G
Oh you take me to nirvana
Bm7 Em
I don't think this will last
C G
But you're here in my arms
Em C G
Oh baby, oh baby, oh, we both feel the same
Bm7 Em
I'm not gonna give you my name
C G
And I don't think you want that to change
Em C G
We're in this together, we don't know who we are
Bm7 Em
Even if it's moving too fast
C G
Baby we should take it too far
Em
It's too late to run away from it all
C G
It's too late to get away from it all
Bm7 Em C G
I'm done with running so I give in to you
Em C G
This moment has caused a reaction
Bm7 Em C G
Resulting in our reattachment
Em C G
Oh you take me to nirvana
Bm7 Em
I don't think this will last
C G
But you're here in my arms
Em C G Bm7 Em C G
Em C G
Oh you take me to nirvana
Bm7 Em
I don't think this will last
C G
But you're here in my arms
End of song Play again?
Sam Smith - Nirvana Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Sam Smith – Nirvana: key and chord analysis
The song opens on Em and ends on G. 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)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: we can't honestly pick a side here — the song moves freely between G major and E minor because it comes to rest on G and it opens on Em. 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 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 | 26× |
| ii | Am | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | A · C · E | — |
| iii7 | Bm7 | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | B · D · F# · A | 13× |
| V/vi | B | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Emsecondary dominant | B · D# · F# | — |
| IV | C | Subdominant — moves away from home | C · E · G | 26× |
| V | D | Dominant — strongest pull home | D · F# · A | — |
| vi | Em | Relative minor — the melancholy side | E · G · B | 26× |
| vii° | F#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | F# · A · C | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Em | Tonic — home | E · G · B | 26× |
| ii° | F#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | F# · A · C | — |
| III | G | Relative major — the bright side | G · B · D | 26× |
| iv | Am | Subdominant — moves away from home | A · C · E | — |
| v7 | Bm7 | Minor dominant — soft pull | B · D · F# · A | 13× |
| V | B | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | B · D# · F# | — |
| VI | C | Submediant — warm colour | C · E · G | 26× |
| 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 91 times in total; 4 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
- C G GIV → Iplagal cadence EmVI → III ×26
- Bm7 Em Giii7 → vi Emv7 → inatural-minor cadence ×13
The move to watch is C → G, heard 26 times. From the G side it reads IV → I (plagal cadence: the soft 'amen' ending); from the Em side it is VI → III. 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 C, land on C, E, G — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over G, land on G, B, D — 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 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 opening Em lays a solid floor for everything that follows. Em, C, G, Bm7 carry the song: vi–IV–I–iii7 relative to G, i–VI–III–v7 relative to Em. No chord leaves the shared scale, so a single pentatonic shape works over the whole song. Keep an ear on C → G (IV → I in G, VI → III in Em): plagal cadence — the soft 'amen' ending. Ending on G, the song seals G 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.
Sam Smith - Nirvana 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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