Better Man chords

by Robbie Williams
  • Better Man was written by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers. It was recorded in 2000 and released on October 22nd, 2001 from the album Sing When You're Winning.
  • Music: E & G Major in 4/4 time at ~ 84 bpm
  • Starts in E Major with a key change to G Major in the Bridge and back to E Major on the last line of the bridge.
  • Chords: E, Esus4, A5/E, C#m, F#m7, F#m9, B, Bsus4, A5, G, Cmaj7, D6, Em
  • Capo: 2nd fret if playing with the video.
Chart Legend
Numbered Circles: Fingers used to play chords   O: Optional Note
Barre Line: One finger holds down multiple strings   R: Root Note
Unmarked strings: Play open   X: Don't play string    B: Bass Note
E Major Esus4 A5/E A C#m F#m7 F#m9 F#m9 B Major Bsus4 G Major D6 Em Cmaj7
E Major Esus4 A5/E A C#m F#m7 F#m9 F#m9 B Major Bsus4 G Major D6 Em Cmaj7
ASCII Chord Charts: number=fret, x= don't play, 0=play open, (B)=barre chord
Chord Guitar Piano Chord Guitar Piano
E 022100 E-G#-B F#m7 242222 (B) F#-A-C#-E
Esus4 022200 E-A-B F#m9 242224 (B) F#-A C#-E-G#
C#m x46654 (B) C#-E-G# B x24442 (B) B-D#-F#
A5/E 0022xx A-E Bsus4 x24452 (B) B-E-F#
A5 x022xx A-E D6 xx0202 D-F#-A-B
G 320003 G-B-D G 320033 G-B-D
Cmaj7 x32000 C-E-G-B Em 022000 E-G-B

Better Man

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key
  
                  E         Esus4       E        A5/E
Intro: 4/4  ‖          |           |        |          ‖   
    
                    E                    C#m
1. Send some-one to love me    I need to rest in arms
           F#m7                          B
   Keep me safe from harm    In pour-ing rain
                    E                 C#m
   Give me end-less sum-mer    Lord I fear the cold
            F#m7                       B
   Feel I'm get-ting old    Be-fore my time

              F#m9           B               E    B            C#m
Chorus: As my soul heals the shame    I will grow through this pain
                 F#m7         B  Bsus4  B                         E     A5/E 
        Lord I'm do-in' all I can          To be a bet-ter man |     |        |

                  E                         C#m
2. Go ea-sy on my con-cience    'Cause it's not my fault
          F#m7                            B
   I know I've been taught    To take the blame
                    E               C#m
   Rest as-sured my an-gels    Will catch my tears
           F#m7                  B      
   Walk me out of here    I'm in pain

              F#m9           B               E    B            C#m
Chorus: As my soul heals the shame    I will grow through this pain
                 F#m7         B  Bsus4  B                        E     E 
        Lord I'm do-in' all I can         To be a bet-ter man |     |      | (key change)

        G                                       Cmaj7
Bridge: Once you've found that lo-ver    You're home-ward bound
                D6                     Em
        Love is all a-round    Love is all a-round
        G                              Cmaj7
        I know some have fal-len    On sto-ny  ground    (key change)
                    F#m7         C#m      B     
        But love is all a-round (Oo...    Oo...)    

                    E                    C#m
3. Send some-one to love me    I need to rest in arms
           F#m7                          B
   Keep me safe from harm    In pour-ing rain
                    E                 C#m
   Give me end-less sum-mer    Lord I fear the cold
            F#m7                       B
   Feel I'm get-ting old    Be-fore my time


              F#m9           B               E    B            C#m
Chorus: As my soul heals the shame    I will grow through this pain
                 F#m7         B  Bsus4  B                   
        Lord I'm do-in' all I can          To be a bet-ter man

            E       Esus4        E        A5        E
Outro: ‖        |           |         |         |   𝄑  ‖ 

Notes:

  • Level Of Ease: Easy if you can play barre chords.
  • Try playing both versions of F#m9. The first version is similar in shape to a B7 chord - up one string for each of the notes on the 2nd fret.
  • The other F#m9 is a standard m9 barre chord shape - root note on the 6th string. They both work well depending on the sound you are after.
  • 5 chords are power chords which consist of the 1st and 5th notes of any given chord scale. In this song we have a A5 and A5/E. They are based on the A major scale where the 1st and 5th notes of the scale are A and E.
  • The A5 chord consists of the notes A and E. There are a few alternatives which are pictured above.
  • The A5/E means an A5 chord with a leading E bass note - also pictured above
  • You don't have to play an A5 or A5/E - an A chord still sounds fine. The same applies to D6 which can be played as a D chord.
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