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)
Tame Impala - Let It Happen - Chord
Key E major – C# minor Chords A, Gbm, Absus4, Ebm, B, Db, Gb, Emaj7 … Easy key C (capo 4)
No ratings yet
or your user informations
Make it yours
Text size
Key: E | Dbm | C#m
Capo: 0
A Gbm Absus4
A Gbm Absus4
It's always around me, all this noise but
A Gbm Absus4
Not nearly as loud as a voice singing
A Gbm Absus4
Let it happen, let it happen
A Gbm Absus4
Just let it happen, let it happen
Ebm B
All this running around
Db Gb
Trying to cover my shadow
Ebm B
An ocean growing inside
Db Gb
Now all the others seem shallow
Ebm B
All this running around
Db Gb
Bearing down on my shoulders
Ebm B
I can hear an alarm
Db Dbsus4
Must be morning
A Gbm Absus4
I heard about a whirlwind that's coming around
A Gbm Absus4
It's gonna carry off all that isn't bound, and
A Gbm Absus4
When it happens, when it happens
A Gbm
So let it happen, let it happen
Ebm B
All this running around
Db Gb
I can't fight it much longer
Ebm B
Something's trying to get out
Db Gb
And it's never been closer
Ebm B
If my ticker fails
Db Gb
Make up some other story
Ebm B
But if I never come back
Db Gb
Tell my mother I'm sorry
A Gbm Absus4 A Gbm Absus4
A Gbm
And it means, we move on ice giving
Absus4
Trying to get dreaming
A
Trying to pose living
Gbm Absus4
You knew I'm not thinking that I would let you in
A
Any other silver
Gbm
And I would just do it
Absus4
Get the meshed thinking
A
Get the meshed dreaming
Gbm
Why would I do it
Absus4
Anyone'd think that
A Gbm
I could not do it, we move on ice giving
Absus4
Trying to get dreaming
A
Trying to pose living
Gbm Absus4
You knew I'm not thinking that I would let you in
A
Any other silver
Gbm
And I would just do it
Absus4
Get the meshed thinking
A
Get the meshed dreaming
Gbm
Why would I do it
Absus4
Anyone'd think that
A Gbm
And it means, we move on ice giving
Absus4
Trying to get dreaming
A
Trying to pose living
Gbm Absus4
You knew I'm not thinking that I would let you in
A
Any other silver
Gbm
And I would just do it
Absus4
Get the meshed thinking
A
Get the meshed dreaming
Gbm
Why would I do it
Emaj7
Anyone'd think that
A Gbm
Maybe, I was ready
Absus4
All along
A Gbm
Oh maybe, I was ready
Emaj7
All along
A Gbm
Oh maybe, I was ready
Absus4
All along
End of song Play again?
Tame Impala - Let It Happen Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Tame Impala – Let It Happen: key and chord analysis
The song opens on A and ends on Absus4. 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)
- #7 = B# (harmonic-minor leading tone from the V chord)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: we can't honestly pick a side here — the song moves freely between E major and C# minor because E is heard 2 times while C#m never appears and the major V chord points straight at C#m. 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imaj7 | Emaj7 | Tonic — home | E · G# · B · D# | 2× |
| ii | Gbm | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | Gb · A · Db | 26× |
| V/V | Gb | Secondary dominant V/V — leads to Bsecondary dominant | Gb · Bb · Db | 7× |
| IIIsus4 | Absus4 | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | Ab · Db · Eb | 23× |
| iii | G#m | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | G# · B · D# | — |
| V/vi | G# | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Dbmsecondary dominant | G# · B# · D# | — |
| IV | A | Subdominant — moves away from home | A · C# · E | 26× |
| V | B | Dominant — strongest pull home | B · D# · F# | 8× |
| VIsus4 | Dbsus4 | Relative minor — the melancholy side | Db · Gb · Ab | 1× |
| vi | C#m | Relative minor — the melancholy side | C# · E · G# | — |
| V/ii | Db | Secondary dominant V/ii — leads to Gbmsecondary dominant | Db · F · Ab | 8× |
| vii° | D#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | D# · F# · A | — |
| vii | Ebm | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | Eb · Gb · Bb | 8× |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isus4 | Dbsus4 | Tonic — home | Db · Gb · Ab | 1× |
| i | C#m | Tonic — home | C# · E · G# | — |
| V/iv | Db | Secondary dominant V/iv — leads to Gbmsecondary dominant | Db · F · Ab | 8× |
| ii° | D#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | D# · F# · A | — |
| ii | Ebm | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | Eb · Gb · Bb | 8× |
| IIImaj7 | Emaj7 | Relative major — the bright side | E · G# · B · D# | 2× |
| iv | Gbm | Subdominant — moves away from home | Gb · A · Db | 26× |
| IV | Gb | Major IV — Dorian / melodic-minor colourmodal colour | Gb · Bb · Db | 7× |
| Vsus4 | Absus4 | Minor dominant — soft pull | Ab · Db · Eb | 23× |
| 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 | 26× |
| VII | B | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | B · D# · F# | 8× |
Analysis
The key pair is E major and its relative C# minor (4 sharps). 9 different chords appear 109 times in total; 6 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. The major V of C#m brings the harmonic-minor leading tone, giving the minor side a sharper, more dramatic pull. Db, Gb act as secondary dominants, briefly pointing at another chord of the key.
Chord movement
- Gbm Absus4 Eii → IIIsus4 C#miv → Vsus4iv → V ×23
The move to watch is Gbm → Absus4, heard 23 times. From the E side it reads ii → IIIsus4; from the C#m side it is iv → Vsus4 (iv → V: the minor side's tension builder). 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 Gbm, land on Gb, A, Db — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Absus4, land on Ab, Db, Eb — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- When Absus4 comes, swap the scale's B for B#: 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 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
- 4 semitones down · capo 4 keeps the original pitch
- 3 semitones up
The song's harmonic story
The opening A lays a solid floor for everything that follows. The chords that keep coming back are A, Gbm, Absus4, Ebm; read them as IV–ii–IIIsus4–vii in E or VI–iv–Vsus4–ii in C#m. Db is the interesting twist: in E it is a chromatic chord (V/ii), while in C#m it becomes the dominant (V/iv) that makes the minor side sound so determined. Keep an ear on Gbm → Absus4 (ii → IIIsus4 in E, iv → Vsus4 in C#m): iv → V — the minor side's tension builder. The final chord is Absus4; the ear comes to rest in E.
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.
Tame Impala - Let It Happen 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.
Repertoires with this song
Similar songs, ready to play: pick a list.
Report error for this content report.
All copyrights belong to their respective owners. If you think this content contains copyright infringement, please contact us.