The Beach Boys - God Only Knows
Hello! Below you'll find my "God Only Knows" chords & lyrics chart as well as a tutorial video on how to play the piano accompaniment.
This is one of my favorite songs by The Beach Boys, it has an absolutely incredible melody and chord changes.
Enjoy!
God Only Knows Piano Tutorial
Here's a piano tutorial video for God Only Knows:
God Only Knows Chords & Lyrics
[Intro]
| A | E | A | E |
| A | E | A | E |
| A | E/G# | F#m7 | E - (E F# G) |
[Verse 1]
D/A Bm6
I may not always love you
F#m F#m7 B/A
But long as there are stars above you
E/B Cdim7
You never need to doubt it
E/B A#m7b5
I'll make you so sure about it
A E/G# F#m7 E (E F# G)
God only knows what I'd be without you
[Verse 2]
D/A Bm6
If you should ever leave me
F#m F#m7 B/A
Though life would still go on believe me
E/B Cdim7
The world could show nothing to me
E/B A#m7b5
So what good would living do me
A E/G# F#m7
God only knows what I'd be without you
[Interlude]
(see video for options at different difficulty levels)
| A/E | G | A/E | G |
[Bridge]
| G/D | Em6 | Bm/F# Bm7 | E/D |
| A/E | Fdim | A/E | D#m7b5 |
D A/C# Bm7
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
[Verse 3]
D/A Bm6
If you should ever leave me
F#m F#m7 B/A
Though life would still go on believe me
E/B Cdim7
The world could show nothing to me
E/B A#m7b5
So what good would living do me
A E/G# F#m7 E/G#
God only knows what I'd be without you -ou
D/A Bm6
If you should ever leave me
F#m F#m7 B/A
Though life would still go on believe me
E/B Cdim7
The world could show nothing to me
E/B A#m7b5
So what good would living do me
A E/G# F#m7 E/G#
God only knows what I'd be without you -ou
[Outro]
A E/G# F#m7 E/G#
God only knows what I'd be without you -ou (god only knows)
Repeat and fade, or end on E or A
Full interlude notes:
A C# A C# B
E A E A G A G F E D
C# E C# E D F E D C B
E E F# E G C D E G A
This document is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
This chord chart is here only to support online learning. We recommend buying official transcripts from a licensed and reputable publisher.
God Only Knows Piano Tips
1. Take It Slow: It's counterintuitive, but the quickest way to get comfortable and sound great playing a song is to practice it very slowly at first. Steady rhythm and counting are crucial to sounding like a pro, so let yourself get used to feeling the beat at a slow, easy tempo. Once you can nail "God Only Knows" slowly, *gradually* speed it up. You'll sound much better than if you jumped in at full speed!
2. Use The Pedal Wisely: Utilize the sustain pedal to connect the chords smoothly, timing your lifts with the arrival of a new chord. For help with sustain pedal timing, check out this video.
3. Simplify if need be: "God Only Knows" still sounds great even if you simply hold out the chords and ignore most of the rhythm patterns and extra details in the tutorial video. Feel free to keep it simple, especially if you sing while playing. As you get comfortable, you can always add the fancy stuff later.
