It's Now or Never chords

Elvis Presley

Song Key: E Major

Time Signature: 4/4

Tempo: 126 bpm


Guitar Tuning: E A D G B e

Skill Level: Beginner 🟢

Chords: E, Em, F#m, A, Am, B7

Play-Along Video
R-H Chord Charts Chord Chart Legend
E Major Em F#m A Major Am B7
L-H Chord Charts Lefties Chord Chart Legend
E Major-LH Em-LH F#m-LH A Major-LH Am-LH B7-LH
Speed: x0.1

It's Now or Never

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key 
                        B7                  E     
Intro: 4/4 |Oo oo oo |  Oo...  | Oo oo oo | Oo (It's now or)|

                    E                    F#m
Chorus: It's now or nev-er, come hold me tight
                   B7                   E
        Kiss me my dar-ling, be mine to-night
           Am              Em 
        To-mor-row will be   too late, 
      E             B7                    E
        It's now or nev-er, my love won't wait. 
 
                E                          A
1. When I first saw you with your smile so  tender
                   B7                     E
     My heart was cap-tured,  my soul sur-ren-dered
                  E                         A
     I'd spend a life-time wait-ing for the right time
                   E                B7      E
     Now that your near the time is here at last.
 
 
                    E                    F#m
Chorus: It's now or nev-er, come hold me tight
                   B7                   E
        Kiss me my dar-ling, be mine to-night
           Am              Em 
        To-mor-row will be   too late, 
      E             B7                    E
        It's now or nev-er, my love won't wait.  

 
               E                      A
2. Just like a wil-low, we would cry an o-cean
                     B7                E
     If we lost true love and sweet de-vo-tion
                       E                    A
     Your lips ex-cite me, let your arms in-vite me
                   E                 B7        E
     For who knows when we'll meet a-gain this way
 

                    E                    F#m
Chorus: It's now or nev-er, come hold me tight
                   B7                   E
        Kiss me my dar-ling, be mine to-night
           Am              Em 
        To-mor-row will be   too late, 
      E             B7                    E
        It's now or nev-er, my love won't wait.  
      E             B7                    E
        It's now or nev-er, my love won't wait.
      E             B7                    E
        It's now or nev-er, my love won't wait.  
      E             B7                    E      E 
        It's now or nev-er, my love won't wait.|   ↓ ↓ ↓ |

Arrangement Details:

  • Key Signature: E Major – 4 sharps (F#, C#, G#, D#)
  • Time Signature: 4/4 — Four quarter-note beats per measure
  • Tempo: Freely
  • Metronome: ♩ = 126
  • Voice Range: G3 – Bb4
  • Chord Types Used:
    • Major Chords: E, A → These are the I and IV chords in E major.
    • Minor chords: Em, F#m, Am → Em is borrowed (parallel minor), F#m is diatonic (ii chord), Am is outside E major (borrowed from E minor or modal interchange).
    • Seventh chord: B7 → This is the dominant (V7) chord in E major, creating tension that resolves beautifully back to E.
    • These chords are part of the E Major diatonic set:
      E–F#m–G#m–A–B–C#–Ddim
  • Chord Progression:
    I–IV–V7 (E-A-B7): This progression is the backbone of countless folk, blues, rock, and pop songs. It’s simple but powerful because it balances stability (I, IV) with tension (V7).

Song Details:

It's Now or Never Single Cover
Single Cover
  • Composer: E. Di Capau
  • Lyricists: Aaron Schroeder, Wally Gold, and Giovanni Capurro
  • Lyrics Begin: It's now or never, come hold me tight.
  • Genre: Pop
  • Featured Artist: Elvis Presley
  • Single:
    Recorded: April 3, 1960
    Released: July 5, 1960
    B-side (US): A Mess of Blues
    B-side (UK): Make Me Know It
Other songs by Elvis Presley on this site:
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