Feb112022

Vance Joy – Don’t Fade Chords on Piano, Guitar & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

ChordsA Em G D

KeyKeyCapo

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Don’t Fade by Vance Joy on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard.

[Intro]
A
A      Em    G
  (Hmmmmmm babe)
     D
(Hmmmmmm babe)
                  A            Em
I could hold you like this all day
                   G            D
Didn't get much sleep, that's okay
               A              Em
Not a single thing needs to change
               G
We can be the light that
         D
don't fade away
A    Em     G       D
..(Hmmmmmm babe, Hmmmmmm babe)
A    Em     G       D
..(Hmmmmmm babe, Hmmmmmm babe)

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

[Verse]

   A
I wish you could see what
    Em                   G
I see when I'm seein' you
    D
(Hmmmmmm babe)
    A                     Em
I want you to know how I know
               G
that I need you
   D
(Hmmmmmm babe)
A                      Em
No one can do what you do when
               G
you get me through
   D
(Hmmmmmm babe)
      A
So I wish you could see what
    Em                   G
 I see when I'm seein' you
    D
(Hmmmmmm babe)

[Chorus]
                   A            Em
I could hold you like this all day
                  G             D
Didn't get much sleep, that's okay
              A               Em
Not a single thing needs to change
                G                 D
We can be the light that, don't fade
               A           Em
Baby, we can keep our own time

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(Hmmmmmm babe)
                      G           D
Forget about what's goin' on outside
(Hmmmmmm babe)
                  A                Em
People say that nothin' gold can stay
(Hmmmmmm babe)
                G                 D
We can be the light that, don't fade away
A    Em      G
  (Hmmmmmm babe)
   D          A   Em      G
(Hmmmmmm babe   Hmmmmmm babe)
    D          A   Em       G
(Hmmmmmm babe    Hmmmmmm babe)
   D
(Hmmmmmm babe)

[Verse]
   A                         Em
I wish you could see what I see when
            G   D
 I'm seein' you
   A                      Em
I want you to know how I know that
         G   D
I need you

(Hmmmmmm babe)
A                      Em
No one can do what you do when you
             G    D
 get me through
(Hmmmmmm babe)
       A                       Em
So I wish you could see what I see
                   G   D
 when I'm seein' you
(Hmmmmmm babe)

[Chorus]
                   A            Em
I could hold you like this all day
                    G           D
Didn't get much sleep, that's okay
               A              Em
Not a single thing needs to change
                G                D
We can be the light that, don't fade
               A            Em
Baby, we can keep our own time
                      G          D
Forget about what's goin' on outside
                  A               Em
People say that nothin' good can stay
               G                 D
We can be the light that, don't fade away

[Outro]
A  Em  G  D

How to play Don’t Fade: key, chords and progression

Don’t Fade by Vance Joy is in the key of D major (two sharps: F♯, C♯). The song uses 4 chords: A, Em, G and D.

The progression the song keeps returning to is A – Em – G – D (V – ii – IV – I in D major). In solfa, that is soh – reh – fah – doh. Learn these 4 changes first and most of the song falls into place.

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