Mar252020

OneRepublic – Better Days Piano & Ukulele Chord Progression and Tab

ChordsDm Bb F

KeyKeyCapo

View

This is the chords of Better Days by OneRepublic on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar and Keyboard.

[Chorus]
Dm Bb F
Oh I know that there’ll be better days
Dm Bb F
Oh that sunshine bout’ to come my way
Dm Bb F
May we never, never shed another tear for today
Dm Bb F
Cause’ oh I know that there’ll be better days

[Verse 1]
Dm
Wakin’ up in California
Bb F
But these clouds have went away
Dm
Every day is like another storm yeah
Bb F
I’m just tryin’ not to go insane
Dm
Yeah and the city is shinin’ so bright
Bb F
So many dark nights, so many dark days
Dm
I’ve been tryna drown paranoia
Bb F
So I close my eyes and I say

[Verse 2]
Dm
Wakin’ up to a new year
Bb F
And a past million miles away
Dm
I ain’t tryin’ to sleep with a new fear
Bb F
Cause’ I know that I’ll never stay
Dm
Whatever you do, don’t worry bout’ me
Bb F
I’m thinkin’ bout’ you, don’t worry bout’ us
Dm
Cause’ in a minute everything can change yeah
Bb F
Swear to God that it does

[Bridge]
Dm Bb F
Better days (Better days)
Dm Bb F
Better days (Better days)
Dm Bb F
May we never ever shed another tear for today
Dm Bb F
Cause’ oh I know that there’ll be better days

[Outro]
Dm Bb F
May we never ever shed another tear in this way
Dm Bb F
Cause’ oh I know that there’ll be better days

How to play Better Days: key, chords and progression

Better Days by OneRepublic is built around F major (one flat: B♭), with 3 chords in all: Dm, Bb and F.

Listen for Dm – Bb – F – Dm (vi – IV – I – vi in F major): the song comes back to it again and again. In solfa, that is lah – fah – doh – lah. Once these 4 changes are comfortable, most of the song is done.

Easier on guitar: put a capo on the 1st fret and play the shapes C#m, A, E (67% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 33% without a capo). It sounds exactly the same.