Oct222021

James Arthur – SOS Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

ChordsC#m E A B

KeyKeyCapo

View

These are the chords for SOS by James Arthur on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard.

[Intro]
C#m   E    A

[Verse 1]
C#m
The champagne, you showered
 down on my pain
                  E
The lights fade, running
'round in blind faith
A
Las Vegas surrounded by
 the lost figures
Alligators, they chew
                   B
me up and spit me out
You know I've been burning out
C#m                        A
I've been calling out for you
I've been calling out
for you, yeah

[Chorus]
 E
SOS, save my soul
I've been drowning
for too long
 A
SOS, save my soul, you know
'Cause you know
                      B
You gotta throw me a lifeline

Check out Musical Tips from our BLOG

Throw me your heart
C#m                  A
I've been waiting a lifetime
I'm calling for an SOS to
  B              C#m
 save my soul tonight

[Verse 2]
C#m
Propeller, spinning me
away forever (Spinning me)
             E
Umbrella, shelter me from
stormy weather (Shelter me)
A
Lines severed, but I know
 you've been looking out
                                B
'Cause you can hear me calling out

[Pre-Chorus]
B
It's you I'm forever
 in debt to
Never been the same since
     C#m
 the day that I met you
A
Going down, can you come
to my rescue?
(Ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)

[Chorus]
 E
SOS, save my soul
I've been drowning
for too long
 A
SOS, save my soul, you know
'Cause you know
                      B
You gotta throw me a lifeline
 (You gotta throw me a lifeline)

Throw me your heart
(Just throw me your heart)
C#m                  A
I've been waiting a lifetime
 (I've been waiting a lifetime)
I'm calling for an SOS
     B              E
 to save my soul tonight

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

 [Post-Chorus]
E
Ah ah, ah-ah
SOS
A
Ah ah, ah-ah
Yeah, ayy-ayy, ayy-ayy
                      B
You gotta throw me a lifeline
 (You gotta throw
 me a lifeline)
Throw me your heart
(Just throw me your heart)
C#m                  A
I've been waiting a lifetime
 (I've been waiting a lifetime)
I'm calling for an SOS
     B              C#m
to save my soul tonight

[Pre-Chorus]
     C#m
Ooh, it's you I'm
forever in debt to
Never been the same since
      E
the day that I met you
(You, ooh)
A
Going down, can you come
 to my rescue?

[Chorus]
                    B
I'm calling for an SOS
 to save my soul
                       C#m
I've been drowning for too long
 A
SOS, save my soul,
'cause you know you know
You know, oh
 E
SOS, save my soul
(I've been drowning
 for too long)
I've been drowning
for too long
 A
SOS, save my soul, you know
(I've been waiting
 for too long)
'Cause you know
(I've been waiting
for your lifeline)
                      B
You gotta throw me a lifeline
(I've been waiting for you, ooh)
Throw me your heart
(I've been waiting
 for you, oh, oh)
C#m                  A
I've been waiting a lifetime
(I need your lifeline)
I'm calling for an SOS
     B             E
to save my soul tonight

[Outro]
E
 The champagne, you showered
down on my pain (SOS)
A
The lights fade, running
'round in blind faith
(Yeah, ayy, ayy-ayy,
throw me a lifeline)
B
Las Vegas surrounded
by the lost figures
 (Throw me a lifeline,
  C#m                 A
I've been waiting a lifetime)
Alligators, they chew me up and
spit me out
(I'm calling for an SOS
       B              E
 to save my soul tonight)

How to play SOS: key, chords and progression

SOS by James Arthur is written in E major (four sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯) and moves through 4 chords: C#m, E, A and B.

Most of the song cycles through E – A – B – C#m (I – IV – V – vi in E major). In solfa, that is doh – fah – soh – lah. Get these 4 changes smooth and the rest comes quickly.

Easier on guitar: put a capo on the 2nd fret and play the shapes Bm, D, G, A (75% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 50% without a capo). It sounds exactly the same.