The ULTIMATE Give Me One Reason Chords And Guitar Lesson

If you're looking for a song to play on guitar that taps into deep blues roots, but still keeps the sound mainstream… then this could be a perfect tune for you.

The song is a mix of blues, pop, and folk styles. Over the years, it’s appealed to a wide audience. Because of this, I think it’s a good one to add to your setlist or call at your local blues jam. 

So grab your axe and let’s dive into this “Give Me One Reason” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Give Me One Reason?

"Give Me One Reason" is a hit song written and performed by American blues and folk artist Tracy Chapman. She wrote the song in the 80s and began performing it live during her early shows. The bluesy groove resonated with audiences and by the time she went to record it – in the mid-90s – the song had already shown promise. 

(Playing live like this is a great litmus test for your new material. You can get an immediate gauge on whether or not a song resonates.) 

Sure enough, it became one of her most well-known songs. “Give Me One Reason” was originally released on her 1995 album New Beginning. The unique sound she created blending blues, pop, and folk styles reignited her career, following her breakthrough in the late 80s.

The song’s lyrics are pretty straightforward. 

It’s written as if the singer is giving one final plea to keep a relationship together. However, the underlying tone suggests the singer already knows it’s going to end. Hence the bluesy vibe and feel. “Give Me One Reason” was recorded in the mid-1990s and was a significant part of Chapman’s New Beginning album, released in November 1995. The album itself was recorded at The Power Station, a famous recording studio in New York City.

The song features Chapman’s deep, soulful voice and an electric blues guitar riff at the beginning. It starts off very sparse. Relying heavily on the blues groove and a powerful vocal performance from Chapman. 

I still get chills every time I hear it.

The main groove is held down by Chapman playing electric guitar. The guitar solo is played by a wonderful guitarist named Adam Levy. I believe he is from Los Angeles, but he’s been bi-coastal living in New York and LA over his career.

One of the most memorable live performances of the song was during a 1997 episode of "Saturday Night Live," where Tracy Chapman performed it with the legendary Eric Clapton. The collaboration brought additional attention to the song, and Clapton’s blues roots complemented the jam perfectly. 

Next, let’s take a look at the…

Give Me One Reason Chords

If you want to play “Give Me One Reason” on guitar then you only need to know 3 main chords F#, B, and C#. The chords are all played as bar chords, and you can play all 3 with just 2 shapes. Let’s take a look at an example of how these chords could be played on the fretboard. 

F# is a 6-string bar chord, and can be played in 2nd position like this:

B I play on the middle strings, muting strings 6 and 1 like this:

Finally, for C#, simply take the B chord and shift it up the neck 2 frets like this:

These chords are called the I, IV, and V chords. The 3 most common chords used in the blues. 

If you’ve struggled to play the blues and know the fretboard for RHYTHM and LEAD… then get your hands on my free blues scale pdf guide right here now:

This is going to make things a whole lot easier for you.

All right, now that you know the “Give Me One Reason” chords let’s next talk about…

Is Give Me One Reason hard to play on guitar?

To play “Give Me One Reason” on guitar you’ll need a solid intermediate-level skill. The song presents many challenges to beginner players like bar chords, fingerstyle, and pacing. Bottom line, “Give Me One Reason” is all based on blues fundamental principles. If you’re not familiar with these principles playing it and making it all the way through all the choruses – which there are many – is going to be rough.

What is the tuning for Give Me One Reason?

The tuning for "Give Me One Reason" as recorded by Tracy Chapman is standard tuning. Chapman plays the main guitar part – the bluesy groove. And then Adam Levy played the lead and fills throughout, which was also in standard tuning.

Standard tuning for a guitar is spelled out as EADGBE. 

Here are the strings:

• E (6th string, lowest pitch)
• A (5th string)
• D (4th string)
• G (3rd string)
• B (2nd string)
• E (1st string, highest pitch)

Next, you may be wondering…

What key is Give Me One Reason in?

“Give Me One Reason” as recorded by Tracy Chapman is in the key of F# major. This is definitely a different key for blues guitar. Yet it’s a great key for blues guitar. This means that the I, IV, and V chords are all played as bar chords. Let’s check out how each chord relates to the major scale and key center.

The F# major scale is built from the notes:

F# - G# - A# - B - C# - D# - E# (F)

This scale has seven tones. How F#, B, and C# all relate to this scale looks like this:

F# major (I chord)

The F# major chord is built on the 1st degree (tonic) of the F# major scale. It combines the notes:

F# (root)

A# (major third)

C# (perfect fifth)

As the tonic, the F# major chord provides a sense of resolution and stability in the key.

B major (IV chord)

The B major chord is built on the 4th degree (subdominant) of the F# major scale. It combines the notes:

B (root)

D# (major third)

F# (perfect fifth)

The IV chord (B major) creates movement away from the tonic, often leading to a sense of tension or anticipation before resolving back to the tonic (I) or moving to the dominant (V). In “Give Me One Reason” the IV moves up to the V quite often.

C# major (V chord)

The C# major chord is built on the 5th degree (dominant) of the F# major scale. It combines the notes:

C# (root)

E# (major third, enharmonic to F)

G# (perfect fifth)

The V chord (C# major) is the most harmonically tense chord in a major key and typically resolves back to the tonic (I) chord, creating a sense of completion. This V-I relationship is a hallmark of Western tonal music.

So that is the theory behind the chords. But remember – theory doesn’t mean a thing without a good…

Give Me One Reason Strumming Pattern And Groove

The main underlying groove for “Give Me One Reason” is an 8th-note feel. However, it’s important to note the 8th notes are played straight not with a swing feel. These 8th notes divide each beat of a 4/4 time signature into two equal parts. They can be counted like this:

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

1, 2, 3, 4: The downbeats (the main beats)

&: The offbeat (between the main beats)

When counting out loud, it sounds like:

"One and, Two and, Three and, Four and"

This is the feel, but Chapman approaches the guitar groove from more folksy roots and plays with a thumbpick. This is key to getting it to sound right. Here is an example in the style of this groove:

Once you get the rhythm down, you might then want to learn the…

Give Me One Reason Guitar Solo

The guitar solo in "Give Me One Reason" was played by Adam Levy, a renowned Los Angeles session guitarist with a background in jazz and blues. His soloing style perfectly complements the song's laid-back, bluesy feel. Levy is known for his tasteful, minimalist approach. 

The primary scale I would recommend starting with to solo over this song is the F# minor blues scale. 

The notes in the F# minor blues scale are:

F#

A

B

C

C#

E

Here’s a great way to start playing this scale on guitar in 2nd position:

(To learn all the patterns I recommend for blues, see my blues scale guide.)

Conclusion

To wrap it up, "Give Me One Reason" is a perfect example of a song that blends blues, pop, and folk influences into something truly special. With its straightforward chord progression, soulful vocals, and a guitar solo that’s both tasteful and emotional, it's a must-learn for any blues guitar player. 

Keep practicing, and if you want to truly learn how to play this stuff, and solo with epic blues leads anywhere on the neck, get your hands on my free blues scale pdf guide right here:

Jon MacLennan