May192023

Jill Barber – Helium Chords on Piano & Ukulele

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[Intro]
 C  Am7  F   C
 C  Am7  F   C

[Verse 1]
          C
We're not getting
         Am   F   C
 any younger
I don't know if we're
 C             Am   F   C
 getting any wiser
        C
Oh, but we can be
 Am    F   C
 kinder
      C
Don't worry about the
        Am
 things that we can't change
           F           C
Just gotta let 'em go, let
'em float away

[Instrumental]
 C  Am  F   C

[Pre-Chorus]
      Dm
Don't watch a story
 Em               F
 where you're down
     Dm
Keep catching up,
      Em           F
 feet on the ground

[Chorus]
C
 So, you feel your
                     Fadd9
world turned upside down

And you need some way
             Am7
 to turn it around

Take your problems the
             G
 way you are feeling 'em
And make 'em lighter,
                 C
 fill them with helium
Blow 'em up as big
            Fadd9
as they can go
Tie 'em up a string
              Am7
 and just let go

Take your problems
                 G
the way you are feeling 'em
And make 'em lighter,
                C
 fill them with helium
Am    F    C

[Instrumental]
C  Am  F   C

[Verse 2]
            C
'Cause it's only
            Am   F   C
getting harder
              C
And you don't have
           Am   F   C
to be a martyr
        C
Oh, but we can be
  Am     F   C
 stronger
          C
But don't worry about
                Am
 the things that we
 can't control
       F
If you hit a rock,
     C
you gotta let it roll

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[Pre-Chorus]
      Dm
Don't watch a story
 Em               F
 where you're down
     Dm
Keep catching up,
      Em           F
feet on the ground (Huh)

[Chorus]
C
 So, you feel your
                    Fadd9
world turned upside down
And you need some way
             Am7
 to turn it around
Take your problems
                G
the way you are feeling 'em
And make 'em lighter,
                C
 fill them with helium
Blow 'em up as big
             Fadd9
as they can go
Tie 'em up a string
              Am7
 and just let go

Take your problems the way
         G
you are feeling 'em
 and make 'em lighter

[Bridge]
Dm
 I keep holding
      Em
onto you
        F
So that I don't
             Fm
 float away, too

[Chorus]
C
 So, you feel your
                     Fadd9
world turned upside down
And you need some way
            Am7
to turn it around
Take your problems the
             G
 way you are feeling
'em and make 'em lighter
C
 Blow 'em up as big
            Fadd9
 as they can go
Tie 'em up a string
              Am7
 and just let go

Take your problems the
             G
way you are feeling 'em

And make 'em lighter,

 fill them with helium
C     Am    F    C

[Outro]
               C
Fill them with helium
 Am    F    C

How to play Helium: key, chords and progression

These are Helium chords by Jill Barber on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard

Helium by Jill Barber keeps coming home to C major (no sharps or flats). You need 9 chords: C, Am7, F, Am, Dm, Em, Fadd9, G and Fm.

The progression the song keeps returning to is C – Am – F – C (I – vi – IV – I in C major). In solfa, that is doh – lah – fah – doh. Learn these 4 changes first and most of the song falls into place.

Good to know: F, Fadd9 and Fm are played as barre or movable shapes on guitar. Practise the change into them slowly; on piano and ukulele the same chords are easier.