Dec92021

John Waite – Tears Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

KeyKeyCapo

View

[Intro]
C  C  F  F  G  G  Am  F

[Verse 1]
     Am      F     G
You left me here alone
              C/E   F
I guess I'll never see the light
Am    F                 G
 You turned another's thumb
                    C/E
And he makes your wrongs
 F
Seem right
Am       F              G
 Out on some different wavelength
             C/E       F
Somehow he brings you more
                  G
But sweetheart tonight
            G
I know for sure

[Chorus]
                C
I'll see those tears
                 F
The damage they do
You're breaking my heart
            C
with those tears
                  F
I'll cry over you,
can we make a new start
   Dm
Of all the girls I've
                 C
had at my knees
           F
You're the only one
That could bring me to these tears
Cadd9

Check out Musical Tips from our BLOG

[Verse 2]
Am   F             G
 A  master of the beat
               C/E   F
You've got my number in your hands
Am     F            G
 A killer on the streets
                C/E   F
You've got your ac---tions planned
Am         F   G
 But somewhere in your heart
            C/E            F
There must be a place for me
                    G
Cause sweetheart tonight
            G
I know for sure

[Chorus]
                C
I'll see those tears
                 F
The damage they do
You're breaking my
                  C
heart with those tears
                  F
I'll cry over you,
can we make a new start
   Dm
Of all the girls I've
                 C
had at my knees
           F
You're the only one
That could bring me
               Cadd9   F
to these tears
G
 Oh yeah
Am       F
 Oh yeah

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

[Bridge]
                G
I'm looking at you
                   G
You're looking at me
                  G
You won't let me go
                       G
But you won't set me free

[Chorus]
          C
Of those tears
                 F
The damage they do
You're breaking my heart
            C
with those tears
          F
Cry over you
                    C
Cry for you tonight

[Outro]
               F
Cry you a river
            F
I'm gonna cry for you tonight
            C
I'm gonna cry you a river
Cry you a river tonight
F
(Cry for you)
            F
I'm gonna cry for you tonight
(Cry for you)
C
 I'm gonna cry you a river
 (Cry for you)
       F
I'll cry for you tonight

[Ending]
C   C/E   F   F   6x
C

How to play Tears: key, chords and progression

These are the chords for Tears by John Waite on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard

Tears by John Waite is in the key of C major (no sharps or flats). The song uses 7 chords: C, F, G, Am, C/E, Dm and Cadd9.

The backbone of the song is Am – F – G – C/E (vi – IV – V – I in C major). In solfa, that is lah – fah – soh – doh. Practise these 4 changes until they feel natural and you can play most of it.

Beginner-friendly: almost every chord is an open chord on guitar, so you can play it without a capo or barre chords.