Chords with lyrics
John Mayer
"Helpless"
Standard tuning. Corrections welcome!
Dm7Dm7 
C majorC 
A minorAm 
E7E7 
Eb MajorEb 
Am7Am7
e|(5)----------5-----7----(6)----5-----|
BB|-6-----5-----5-----9-----8-----5-----|
G+G|-5-----5-----5-----7-----8-----5-----|
D MajorD|-7-----5-----7-----9-----8-----5-----|
A augmentedA|(5)---(3)----x-----7-----6-----7-----|
E MajorE|-------------5-----------------5-----|
Intro:
e|----------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
BB|6-------5-------|6p5h6---x---5-------6-----------|----------------6-------5-------|
G+G|5-------5-------|5-------x---5-------5-------5---|----------------5-------5-------|
D MajorD|7-------5-------|7p5h7---x---5-------7-------5h7~|--7-5---7-------7-------5-------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------------------x---|----x---------------------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------------------5---|----5---------------------------|
3 e + a 4 e + a 1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a 1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a
e|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
BB|6p5h6---x---5-------6-----------|----------------6-------5-------|
G+G|5-------x---5-------5-------5---|----------------5-------5-------|
D MajorD|7p5h7---x---5-------7-------5h7~|--7-5---7-------7-------5-------|
A augmentedA|----------------------------x---|----x---------------------------|
E MajorE|----------------------------5---|----5---------------------------|
Overdub (intro only)
e|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
BB|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
G+G|5-------------------------------|--------------------------------|
D MajorD|7--p5--h7--p5--h7--p5---h7------|--------------------------------|
A augmentedA|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E MajorE|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
| Main rhythm fig.
e|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
BB|6p5h6---x---5-------6-----------|----------------6-------5-------|
G+G|5-------x---5-------5-------5---|----------------5-------5-------| Main ryhthm fig. repeats throughout
D MajorD|7p5h7---x---5-------7-------5h7~|--7-5---7-------7-------5-------| the verses. Chords listed below
A augmentedA|------------x---------------x---|----x---------------------------| reflect overall harmony icluding bass.
E MajorE|------------5---------------5---|----5---------------------------|
Verse:
Dm7Dm7 C majorC Dm7Dm7 Am7Am7
The same drink that gets me out the door
Dm7Dm7 C majorC Dm7Dm7 Am7Am7
Is the same drink that puts me on the floor
Dm7Dm7 C majorC Dm7Dm7 Am7Am7
And the new thing I wanna try some more
Dm7Dm7 C majorC Dm7Dm7 Am7Am7
Is the same mistake I used to make before
Chorus:
Dm7Dm7
If I'm helpless tell me now
A minorAm
Tell me now
Dm7Dm7
If I'm helpless tell me now
A minorAm
Tell me now
Dm7Dm7
If I'm helpless tell me now
A minorAm
Tell me now
Dm7Dm7 A minorAm
And I'll stop trying to figure it out
Dm7Dm7 A minorAm
Dm7Dm7 A minorAm
Verse:
Dm7Dm7 C majorC Dm7Dm7 Am7Am7
The same brain that brings me ecstacy
Dm7Dm7 C majorC Dm7Dm7 Am7Am7
Is the same pain that gets the best of me
Dm7Dm7 C majorC Dm7Dm7 Am7Am7
And the one I love the most just said to me
Dm7Dm7 C majorC Dm7Dm7 Am7Am7
A augmentedA broken heart is all I'll ever be
Chorus:
Dm7Dm7
If I'm helpless tell me now
A minorAm
Tell me now
Dm7Dm7
If I'm helpless tell me now
A minorAm
Tell me now
Dm7Dm7
If I'm helpless tell me now
A minorAm
Tell me now
Dm7Dm7 A minorAm
And I'll stop trying to figure it out
Solo:
Dm7Dm7 A minorAm x7
E7E7
E7 Eb MajorEb
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
BB|---------------------------------------------------------8-----------------------------|
G+G|----5b.5-7--7~p5-7~p5-7--b9r7p5---5~-h7-------5b.5-7-7p5---7b9b9r7-5-------------------|
D MajorD|--7-----------------------------7-------7---7------------------------7p5----7~---------|
A augmentedA|--------------------------------------------------------------------------7------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------------5--------------------------------------|
BB|----------------------8------------------------------------8-----8-----8-----8-----10~-|
G+G|-----5-7-7b8-7-5--7b9--------5-7-7b8-7-5----7b9------5-7b9---7b9---7b9---7b9---7b9-----|
D MajorD|5--7-----------------------7-------------7---------7-----------------------------------|
A augmentedA|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|----------------------15~-----------------------------------------------------------17-|
BB|13--15--15--13--15b17------r15--13--15--13-----------13------13--15b16r15-13--15b17----|
G+G|-------------------------------------------14p12-14~-----14----------------------------|
D MajorD|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|17~--17-15------------15----------17-20b22--20b22-17----17~----17------20b22-17~-------|
BB|-----------17p15--17~-------17-20-----------20b22----20------------20------------------|
G+G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|------12--------12---------------------------------------------------------------------|
BB|15b17----15b17-----15-12------12-------------------------------------------------------|
G+G|-------------------------14b16---12b13----------9---7-------------------------------7--|
D MajorD|----------------------------------------14-12~--------9-7\5--------------5h7-7p5-/9--9-|
A augmentedA|------------------------------------------------------------7p5-7p5---/7---------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
BB|-------------------8b.5-------------8------------8-------------------------------------|
G+G|-----7------/9---------9p7--h9--7---7b9r8r7------7b9~r---------------------------------|
D MajorD|/9-----9-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Bridge:
Dm7Dm7 Am7Am7
Help me
Dm7Dm7 Am7Am7
Help me
Dm7Dm7 Am7Am7
Help me
Chorus:
Dm7Dm7
If I'm helpless tell me now
A minorAm
Tell me now
Dm7Dm7
If I'm helpless tell me now
A minorAm
Tell me now
Dm7Dm7
If I'm helpless tell me now
A minorAm
Tell me now
Dm7Dm7 A minorAm
And I'll stop trying to figure it out
Dm7Dm7
If I'm helpless
A minorAm
If I'm helpless
Dm7Dm7
If I'm helpless
Dm7Dm7 A minorAm
Then I'll stop trying to figure it out
Outro:
Dm7Dm7 A minorAm x8
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
BB|10~-------10b12b13r10~----14b15-13--------15b17----15b17----15b17--15b17--15b17--15b17-|
G+G|-----------------------------------14~-------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
BB|15b17-13------15b17b17b17----15b17-14b15-13--------------15b17-15b17-13----15b17b17----|
G+G|---------14---------------------------------14--14p12-------------------14-------------|
D MajorD|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|15-------------------------8~--5---8---5---8-5---8-5----------------------------8~--5--|
BB|-pb16r15-13--------------5-------5-------5-----5-----5---5--------------------5-------5|
G+G|------------14--14-12\---------------------------------7---5---7-5b6------5------------|
D MajorD|-------------------------------------------------------------7--------7~---------------|
A augmentedA|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|8-5---8-5------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
BB|----5-----5----5----5-8-5------------------------------15b17-----r15b17r15-13-13----13~|
G+G|------------7b9--7b9------7b9-7-5---7-5b6---5------------------------------------14----|
D MajorD|----------------------------------7-------7---7--5-------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------12b15----r12----|
BB|15---------15-15b17---15b17r15-13--13\12-12-pb13r12-10--10--10--------(12b15----r12)---|
G+G|--------14------------------------------------------------------12---------------------|
D MajorD|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|12-12-10-10-------10-10-------10---12b15---r12---12-12---------------------------------|
BB|------------13-13~---10-13-13~----(12b15---r12)--------13-13b15-10-10------------------|
G+G|---------------------------------------------------------------------\7--7--5--5-------|
D MajorD|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------7--7-|
A augmentedA|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
BB|-----------13b.5------13b.5-------------------------------13-------15b16r15b15---15----|
G+G|---------------14p12-----14p12---14~------------------------14p12-------------------14-|
D MajorD|\5--5-3p0-----------------------------\12-10-------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|---------------------------------------------12-10-12~-10------------------------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|----x---------------------------|
BB|13--x---------------------------|
G+G|----x---14---14~--14--/17b18----| Fade out
D MajorD|----x---------------------------|
A augmentedA|--------------------------------|
E MajorE|--------------------------------|
***********************************
| h Hummer-on
| p Pull-off
| ~ Vibrato
| x Dead note
| b Bend
| b.5 Bend 1/4 step
| pb Pre-Bend
| r Release
| () Ghost note
***********************************
Other versions of Helpless
Alternative guitar chords and tabs for Helpless by John Mayer
