How to play "Someone You Loved" [Chords] on acoustic guitar.
Song Overview:
Key: C# major (with capo 1st fret, you play in C major shapes)
Capo: 1st fret
Difficulty: Beginner-friendly
Chords Used:
- C major (x32010)
- G major (320003)
- Am (A minor) (x02210)
- F major (133211) or easier: (x33211)
- Dm (D minor) (xx0231)
- Dm7 (xx0211)
- Am7 (x02010)
Strumming Pattern:
Strumming: 110 bpm
A smooth 4/4 pattern works great:
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
Play gently during verses, increase energy in choruses.
Count “1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &” — strum on 1, 2, &, 3, 4, &.
Sections Breakdown:
Intro:
C G Am F
Soft, almost whispered strums. Lean into the emotion — it’s a quiet setup.
Verse:
C G Am F
Keep the same four chords — repeat. Strum lightly.
Focus on consistent rhythm and clean transitions, especially between G to Am.
Chorus:
C G Am F
Strum stronger. The chorus climbs emotionally, so let your dynamics reflect that.
Emphasize "Now the day bleeds..." — lift your voice and guitar here.
Important: the rhythm tightens here — stay on beat or it feels loose.
Bridge:
Dm Am G
Dm7 Am7 G
This section softens. Fingerpicking works beautifully here:
Try Thumb (Bass) → Index (G) → Middle (B) for each chord.
Feel each word; don’t rush. That “safe in your sound” line begs for silence around it.
Outro:
C G Am F C
End with single downstrums per chord.
Let that last C ring. Let it hang in the air like a ghost of what was lost.
Common Mistakes:
- Barre chord F: Use the simplified version if you're struggling.
- Changing too soon: Follow the vocal phrasing to time chord switches.
- Strumming too loud: Capaldi’s tone is melancholic — don’t blast it.
General Tips:
- Tune to standard: E A D G B E
- Use light strings for better control.
- Capo on 1st fret to match original pitch.
- Practice transitions slowly: C → G → Am is a loop you’ll revisit often.
Song Facts:
"Someone You Loved" was released by Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi in 2018.
It quickly became a cultural mainstay, charting across the globe, hitting #1 in both the UK and US.
The track is a sparse piano ballad, but its emotional weight carries effortlessly into acoustic guitar.
Lyrically, it grapples with loss and grief — not necessarily only romantic, but the ache
of absence. The beauty lies in its simplicity: a few chords, a slow build, and a world
of hurt pouring through restrained vocals. That minimalism gives room for the story to breathe.
In the verses, Capaldi details a descent into loneliness: “I’m going under...” sets the tone,
evoking someone slowly drowning in the absence of a loved one. The chorus turns cyclical:
“Now the day bleeds into nightfall...” becomes the gut-punch — familiar pain returning
every dusk. It's confessional, yet universal. We’ve all had our own “pulled the rug” moment.
The bridge offers the sole comfort — retreating into memories. “I fall into your arms”
serves as a subconscious escapism. When he says “safe in your sound,” he’s seeking solace
in what once was — the echo of love, not the presence of it. It's heartbreak immortalized.
Song Meaning:
“Someone You Loved” narrates the emotional unraveling of someone grieving a deep connection.
It could be a breakup. It might be death. It’s never explicitly said — and that’s its power.
Verse by verse, we move deeper into vulnerability. From pleading for help, to admitting
emotional dependency, Capaldi guides us through the layers of attachment. The chorus
underscores the cyclical nature of grief — each nightfall reignites the ache.
In the bridge, we glimpse coping — escapism in memory. But the final repetition of the chorus
and the somber outro strip all hope. The song closes not with healing, but resignation.
It’s the moment after the tears — when silence is the loudest thing in the room.
Comparisons to previous works:
Before this breakout, Capaldi’s early tracks like “Bruises” hinted at his lyrical honesty,
but “Someone You Loved” refined it. Earlier songs carried heartbreak, but this one
took it further — simple arrangement, devastating honesty, and a gutting vocal performance.
Compared to later works like “Before You Go,” which explored guilt and mental health,
“Someone You Loved” remains more universally palatable — sadness anyone can project
their own experiences onto. It’s where Capaldi’s voice became a vessel for shared pain,
and it defined the raw, uncloaked emotional vulnerability he’d become known for.
From a guitar perspective, this was the song that proved how just a few chords could
carry a stadium’s worth of emotional gravity. A modern classic for the acoustic player.
* = Single strum
[Intro]
C G Am F
[Verse 1]
C G Am F
I'm going under and this time I fear there's no one to save me
C G Am F
This all or nothing really got a way of driving me crazy
C G Am F
I need somebody to heal, somebody to know, somebody to have, somebody to hold
C G
It's easy to say, but it's never the same
Am F
I guess I kinda liked the way you numbed all the pain
[Chorus]
C G
Now the day bleeds into nightfall
Am F
And you're not here to get me through it all
C G
I let my guard down, and then you pulled the rug
Am F
I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved
[Verse 2]
C G Am F
I'm going under and this time I fear there's no one to turn to
C G Am F
This all or nothing way of lovin' got me sleepin' without you
C G Am
Now, I need somebody to know, somebody to heal, somebody to have, just to know how
F
it feels
C G
It's easy to say, but it's never the same
Am F
I guess I kinda liked the way you helped me escape
[Chorus]
C G
Now the day bleeds into nightfall
Am F
And you're not here to get me through it all
C G
I let my guard down, and then you pulled the rug
Am F
I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved
[Bridge]
Dm Am G
And I tend to close my eyes when it hurts sometimes
Dm7
I fall into your arms
Am7 G
I'll be safe in your sound 'til I come back around
[Chorus]
N.C. C* G*
For now the day bleeds into nightfall
Am* F*
And you're not here to get me through it all
C* G*
I let my guard down, and then you pulled the rug
Am F
I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved
C G
But now the day bleeds into nightfall
Am F
And you're not here to get me through it all
C G
I let my guard down, and then you pulled the rug
Am F
I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved
[Outro]
C* G*
I let my guard down, and then you pulled the rug
Am* F* C*
I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved
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