Introduction
*The chords for the original song is f minor, but analysis is done in e minor for better and easy understandings.
If you are an artist seeking to play the ageless opus "Just the Two of Us" by Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr. on the guitar or the piano, you must know the proper chords. In this all-inclusive guide, we shall escort thee through the various chords and progressions necessary to play this celebrated tune. Whether you are art a beginner or an expert musician, thou shalt discover something of use in this guide.
Before we plummet into the chords, let us hastily glance at the melody itself. "Just the Two of Us" is a mellifluous love song that debuted in 1981. It is a duet between Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr., and it has emerged as a classic in its own right. The melody and chords of the tune are moderately simple, but they converge to create a sublime, serene sound.
The Guitar Chords
Now, let us delve into the chords. The tune employs a typical 4/4 time signature and is played in the key of E minor.
Capo: 1st fret.
Intro:
Cmaj7 B7 Em7 Dm7 G7 Cmaj7 B7 Em7
Verse 1:
Cmaj7 B7 Em7
I see the crystal raindrops fall,
Dm7 G7 Cmaj7
and the beauty of it all
B7 Em7
Is when the sun comes shining through
Cmaj7 B7 Em7
To make those rainbows in my mind,
Dm7 G7 Cmaj7
When I think of you sometime,
B7 Em7
And I want to spend some time with you.
Chorus:
Cmaj7 B7 Em7 Ebm7 Dm7
Just the two of us, we can make it if we try,
G7 Cmaj7 B7 Em7
Just the two of us, just the two of us.
Cmaj7 B7 Em7 Ebm7 Dm7
Just the two of us, building castles in the sky,
G7 Cmaj7 B7 Em7
Just the two of us, you and I.
Verse 2:
Cmaj7 B7 Em7
We look for love, no time for tears,
Dm7 G7 Cmaj7
wasted water’s all that is,
B7 Em7
And it don’t make no flowers grow.
Cmaj7 B7 Em7
Good things might come to those who wait,
Dm7 G7 Cmaj7
But not for those who wait too late
B7 Em7
We’ve got to go for all we know.
Chorus:
Cmaj7 B7 Em7 Ebm7 Dm7
Just the two of us, we can make it if we try,
G7 Cmaj7 B7 Em7
Just the two of us, just the two of us.
Cmaj7 B7 Em7 Ebm7 Dm7
Just the two of us, building castles in the sky,
G7 Cmaj7 B7 Em7
Just the two of us, you and I.
Bridge:
Cmaj7 B7 Bbmaj7 A7 Abmaj7 G7 (hits) Cmaj7 F13
Cmaj7 B7 Bbmaj7 A7 Abmaj7 G7 (hits) Cmaj7 F13
Verse 3:
Cmaj7 B7 Em7 Dm7 G7 Cmaj7
I hear the crystal raindrops fall on the window down the hall
B7 Em7
And it becomes the morning dew. Cmaj7 B7 Em7
And Darling, when the morning comes
Dm7 G7 Cmaj7
And I see the morning sun,
B7 Em7
I want to be the one with you.
Chorus:
Cmaj7 B7 Em7 Ebm7 Dm7
Just the two of us, we can make it if we try,
G7 Cmaj7 B7 Em7
Just the two of us, just the two of us.
Cmaj7 B7 Em7 Ebm7 Dm7
Just the two of us, building castles way on the high,
G7 Cmaj7 B7 Em7
Just the two of us, you and I.
Now, let us scrutinize each of these chords closely and learn how to play them.
Cmaj7
The Cmaj7 chord is a four-note chord composed of the root note C, the major third E, the perfect fifth G, and the major seventh note B. To play the chord, put your first finger on fret 2 of the D string i.e. 4th string. Then place your second finger in fret 3 of the A string i.e. 5th string. Strum from A string.
B7
The B7 chord is composed of the root major third, perfect fifth and minor seventh. The B7 chord is made up of the notes B, D#, F# and A. To play the chord, place the index finger on the first fret of the D string i.e. 4th string, the middle finger on the second fret of the A string i.e. 5th string, the ring finger on the second fret of the G string i.e. 3rd string, and the pinky finger on the second fret of the E string i.e. 1st string.
Em7
The Em7 or E minor 7 is a four-note chord consisting of the notes E, G, B, and D. To play the chord, place the first finger on the second fret of the A string i.e. 5th string, and strum all strings.
Ebm7
The Ebm7 is B flat minor 7 chords with the notes Eb, Gb, Bb and Db. To play the chord, place the index finger on the first fret of the D string i.e. 4th string, the middle finger on the second fret of the B string i.e. 2nd string, the ring finger on the second fret of the E string i.e. 1st string, and the pinky finger on the third fret of the G string i.e. 3rd string. Strum from D string.
G7
The G7 chord is comprised of three chords making a G major chord with G, B and D along with an additional seventh interval F note. To play the chord, place the index finger on the first fret of the E string i.e. 1st string, the middle finger on the second fret of the A string i.e. 5th string, and the ring finger on the third fret of the E string i.e. 6th string.
Dm7
The Dm7 chord is comprised of three chords making a D minor chord with D, F and A along with an additional seventh interval C note. To play the chord, place the index finger on the first fret of the B string i.e. 2nd string and the first fret of the E string i.e. 1st string. Place the middle finger on the second fret of the G string i.e. 3rd string, and strum from the D string i.e. 4th string.
Bbmaj7
The Bbmaj7 chord, consisting of the root note Bb, the major third D, the perfect fifth F, and the major seventh A, adds an emotional depth and is used in the bridge section of the song. To play this chord place index on the first fret of the A string i.e. 5th string and the first fret of the E string i.e. 1st string, the middle finger on the second fret of the G string i.e. 3rd string, the ring finger on the third fret of the D string i.e. 4th string and pinky finger on the third fret of the B string i.e. 2nd string.
A7
The A7 chord, consisting of the root note A, the major third C#, the perfect fifth E, and the minor seventh G, creates a gentle sound and is used in the chorus of the song. To place the song place the index finger on the second fret on the D string i.e. 4th string and the middle finger on the second fret on the B string i.e. 2nd string.
Abmaj7
The Ebm7 is A flat major 7 chords with the notes Ab, C, Eb and G. To play the chord, place the index finger on the first fret of the D string i.e. 4th string and the first fret of the E string i.e. 1st string, the middle finger on the third fret of the A string i.e. 5th string, the ring finger on the third fret of the E string i.e. 1st string, and the pinky finger on the fourth fret of the E string i.e. 6th string.
F13
Lastly, the F13 chord is comprised of three chords making an F, A, C, Eb and D. To play the chord, place the index finger on the first fret of the E string i.e. 6th string, the middle finger on the first fret of the D string i.e. 4th string, and the ring finger on the third fret of the B string i.e. 2nd string and E string i.e. 1st string.
The best chords to play "Just the Two of Us" on guitar will depend on your skill level, preference, and the key you want to play in. Key of D major, C major, Bb major, G major.
You can experiment with different chord voicing and strumming patterns to find the best fit for your playing style.
Conclusion
Once you have a good understanding of the chords, you can start playing the song itself. The song follows a simple structure, with an intro, verse, chorus, and bridge sections. Begin with the Cmaj7 chord for the intro, followed by the verse that uses the B7 chord. The chorus then uses the chords Cmaj7, B7, Em7, Ebm7 and Dm7. The bridge section of the song then uses the Cmaj7 chord.
In conclusion, "Just the Two of Us" is a beautiful and timeless classic that features simple yet elegant chords and progressions that any beginner or advanced musician can learn. By using the chords outlined in this guide, you can easily play this beloved hit and enjoy the soulful sounds of Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr.
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