Nov112021

Heartsfield – The Only Time Im Sober Is When Youre Gone Chords

Updated January 8, 2026

ChordsA E E7 D

KeyKeyCapo

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[Instrumental Intro]
A E E7 A A

[Verse 1]
A              A
- When I first met you
E                E7
- I didn't understand
       E
What a naggin' bitchin'
E           A         A
wo-oman can - do to a man
        A                A
Well it - seems that the girl
          D                 D
I married - ain't quite the same
       E                  E
Well I thought I knew you better
       D      E      A
when I - gave you my name

[Chorus]
         A             A
Now, the only time I'm sober's
            E7    E7
when you're gone
        E7            E7
And the bottle is the only
           A                A
thing that keeps me hangin' on
    A          A
The man on the radio keeps
D               D
singin' sad sad songs
          E7
Like "The Only Time I'm
E7                  A       A
Sober's When You're Gone"

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[Verse 2]
       A
Well I have no need to travel
E                E7
- anywhere's too far
         E
And they know me by my first
        A
name at - all the local bars
I heard that a failin' love can
D
- drive a man to drink
       E
Well I would have left you if
         D        E       A
I hadn't been too high to think

[Chorus]
         A
Now, the only time I'm
                    E7
sober's when you're gone
        E7
And the bottle is the only
           A
thing that keeps me hangin' on
    A                      D
The man on the radio keeps singin'
sad sad songs
          E7
Like "The Only Time I'm
                    A
Sober's When You're Gone"

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

[Interlude]
A E E7 A A

[Verse 3]
A
- Guess I'd better go now
E                     E7
- it's gettin' pretty late
    E
But I'll be back tomorrow night,
   A
so - please save my place
         A
And I'll - tell you all about
             D
the tales of pain and misery
        E                   E7
And the heartaches that you caused
         D     E             A
by bein' - too damn blind to see

[Chorus]
         A
Now, the only time I'm
                    E7
sober's when you're gone
        E7
And the bottle is the only
           A
thing that keeps me hangin' on
    A                      D
The man on the radio keeps singin'
sad sad songs
          E7
Like "The Only Time
                        A
I'm Sober's When You're Gone"

[Outro]
          E7
Like "The Only Time
                        A
I'm Sober's When You're Gone"

How to play The Only Time Im Sober Is When Youre Gone: key, chords and progression

These are the chords for The Only Time Im Sober Is When Youre Gone by Heartsfield on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard

The Only Time Im Sober Is When Youre Gone by Heartsfield is built around A major (three sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯), with 4 chords in all: A, E, E7 and D.

Listen for E7 – A – E – E7 (V7 – I – V – V7 in A major): the song comes back to it again and again. In solfa, that is soh – doh – soh – soh. Once these 4 changes are comfortable, most of the song is done.

Beginner-friendly: every chord here is an open shape on guitar: no capo, no barre chords needed.