May222021

Elizabeth Cotten – Im Going Away Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

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[Intro]
D  G B  C  G A
D  G B  C  G  D G
C G C G C D  G

[Verse 1]
    D      G
I'm going away, baby,
        B     C
and I'm gonna stay,
                  G A
You spends all my money.
                    D
You got no time for me.
           G
I'm going away honey,
B       C
and I'm gonna stay.
                     G
Baby you're going to miss me.
D                 G
That's when I go away.

[Chorus]
C                  G
You called me your honey,
    C             G
You spends all my money.
C                     G
Then you think that's funny
D                  G
 That's why I'm going away.

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[Interlude]
C  G C  G C  D  G

[Verse 2]
D                   G
You know you were't true,
      B             C
baby, I believed in you,
            G
I am broken-hearted,
     A                D
just over the way you do.
                   G
You said you loved me, honey,
B7               C
no other one but me,
                     G
You never gave me no lovin' --
that's why I'm going away.

[Chorus]
C              G
Called me your honey,
C             G
Spends all my money.
C                     G
Then you think that's funny
D                  G   Em
 That's why I'm going away.

Feel free to use our free Chord Shape Generator to see every chord in this song on guitar, ukulele and piano.

[Interlude]
C  G C G C  D  G
D Em B C  D A  D Em B C
D  G C G C G C G C D  G

[Verse 3]
D              Em
Never gonna be no sunshine,
 Bm           C
'gonna always be rain,
                 D
Honey, you're gonna want me
   A             D
to come back again,
Never gonna be no sunshine,
B              C
s'gonna always be rain,
          D
You never gave me no lovin' --
                      Em
that's why I'm going away.

[Chorus]
C                  G
You called me your honey,
    C             G
You spends all my money.
C                     D
Then you think that's funny
D                      Em
 That's why I'm going away.

[Outro]
C  G C  G C D  Em  G

How to play Im Going Away: key, chords and progression

These are the chords for Im Going Away by Elizabeth Cotten on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard

Im Going Away by Elizabeth Cotten is written in G major (one sharp: F♯) and moves through 8 chords: D, G, B, C, A, B7, Em and Bm.

Listen for C – G – C – D (IV – I – IV – V in G major): the song comes back to it again and again. In solfa, that is fah – doh – fah – soh. Once these 4 changes are comfortable, most of the song is done.

Good to know: on guitar, B and Bm need a barre or movable shape. Take the change into them slowly at first; piano and ukulele players have it easier.