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The Real Thing

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Fminor

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Real Thing
Kenny Loggins
Key: Ab
Tempo: 120
[Intro]
Ab2one two Ab2and three Db2four  play 2x
[Verse 1]
Ab2A-man - Db2da, I know what you're Ab2thinking,  Db2  
    Ab2You Db2and I have much to sayCm7,  Eb  
  Ab2And you've Db2been making me crazy,
Ab2Trying to underDb2stand
  Ab2But it's Db2impossible at your age   Cm7  Eb  
I know I Cm7said I'll alEb/Gways try,  Fm7  
But you're Bbm7going to bed alonCm7e   agaiDb2n   tonighEbt
And you Ebm7lie there in the dark   Absusand Ab7wonder why     Fm7  Cm7  Db2  
Fm7 Cm7 Db2
[Chorus]
I did it for you Ab2and the boysFm7  
Because love Db2should teach you joyEb  
And not the imiFm7tation,
That your Bbm7momma and daddy tried to show Db2you.
 EbI Db2did it for youFm7, and for meCm7,
And because Bbm7I still believeEb/G,
There's onEdim7ly one Fm7thing,
You can Cm7never give up,
Never Bbm7compromise on,
And that's the Db/Ebreal thing you need in love.     Ab2  Db2x4
[Verse 2]
Ab2You're so Db2afraid your life is oAb2ver, Db2  
And Ab2nothing I Db2can say could change your mindCm7. Eb  
  Ab2How can anyDb2body be so selfish,
And Ab2treat you all so Db2cruel,
 Ab2Go on Db2and scream at me and cry   Cm7  Eb  
I'll always Cm7hold you in Eb/Gmy soulFm7,
And I'm Bbm7never gonna leave Cm7you all Db2aloneEb  
But your Ebm7daddy doesn't live Absushere Ab7anymore.    Fm7  Cm7  Db2  
Fm7 Cm7 Db2
[Chorus]
I did it for you Ab2and the boysFm7  
Because love Db2should teach you joyEb  
And not the imiFm7tation,
That your Bbm7momma and daddy tried to show Db2you.
 EbI Db2did it for youFm7, and for meCm7,
And because Bbm7I still believeEb/G,
There's onEdim7ly one Fm7thing,
You can Cm7never give up,
Never Bbm7compromise on,
And that's the Db/Ebreal thing you need in love. Ab2  
Dm7Everybody's got a Dm7/Gboat upG9on the oAmcean,
Dm7But not everybody's Dm7/Gsailing G9out to seaC,
And is there C/Bsomeone there for Am7me?
I'm C/Gready to beD7/F#lieve.   
[Instrumental]
Dm72 bars each     G7       Dm7       G7       Em7  A7  
    Em7      A7  F#m71 bar each     C#m72 D9bars
F#m71 bar      C#m73 D9bars start chorus
[Chorus]
I did it for you A2and the boysF#m7  
Because love D2should teach you joyE  
And not the imiF#m7tation,
That your Bm7momma and daddy tried to show D2you.
 EI D2did it for youF#m7, and for meC#m7,
And because Bm7I still believeE7/G#,
There's onFdim7ly one F#m7thing,
You can C#m7never give up,
Never Bm7compromise on,
And that's the D/Ereal thing you need in love.A2  D2  A2  D2  

All chords in this song (24)

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The Real Thing

by Kenny Loggins

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Ab2

Db2

Cm7

Eb/G

Fm7

Bbm7

Ebm7

Absus

Ab7

Edim7

Db/Eb

Dm7

Dm7/G

C/B

Am7

C/G

D7/F#

Em7

Real Thing

Kenny Loggins

Key: Ab

Tempo: 120

[Intro]

Ab2 Ab2 Db2

one two and three four play 2x

[Verse 1]

Ab2 Db2 Ab2 Db2

A-man - da, I know what you're thinking,

Ab2 Db2 Cm7 Eb

You and I have much to say,

Ab2 Db2

And you've been making me crazy,

Ab2 Db2

Trying to understand

Ab2 Db2 Cm7 Eb

But it's impossible at your age

Cm7 Eb/G Fm7

I know I said I'll always try,

Bbm7 Cm7 Db2 Eb

But you're going to bed alone again tonight

Ebm7 Absus Ab7 Fm7 Cm7 Db2

And you lie there in the dark and wonder why

Fm7 Cm7 Db2

[Chorus]

Ab2 Fm7

I did it for you and the boys

Db2 Eb

Because love should teach you joy

Fm7

And not the imitation,

Bbm7 Db2

That your momma and daddy tried to show you.

Eb Db2 Fm7 Cm7

I did it for you, and for me,

Bbm7 Eb/G

And because I still believe,

Edim7 Fm7

There's only one thing,

Cm7

You can never give up,

Bbm7

Never compromise on,

Db/Eb Ab2 Db2

And that's the real thing you need in love. x4

[Verse 2]

Ab2 Db2 Ab2 Db2

You're so afraid your life is over,

Ab2 Db2 Cm7 Eb

And nothing I can say could change your mind.

Ab2 Db2

How can anybody be so selfish,

Ab2 Db2

And treat you all so cruel,

Ab2 Db2 Cm7 Eb

Go on and scream at me and cry

Cm7 Eb/G Fm7

I'll always hold you in my soul,

Bbm7 Cm7 Db2 Eb

And I'm never gonna leave you all alone

Ebm7 Absus Ab7 Fm7 Cm7 Db2

But your daddy doesn't live here anymore.

Fm7 Cm7 Db2

[Chorus]

Ab2 Fm7

I did it for you and the boys

Db2 Eb

Because love should teach you joy

Fm7

And not the imitation,

Bbm7 Db2

That your momma and daddy tried to show you.

Eb Db2 Fm7 Cm7

I did it for you, and for me,

Bbm7 Eb/G

And because I still believe,

Edim7 Fm7

There's only one thing,

Cm7

You can never give up,

Bbm7

Never compromise on,

Db/Eb Ab2

And that's the real thing you need in love.

Dm7 Dm7/G G9 Am

Everybody's got a boat upon the ocean,

Dm7 Dm7/G G9 C

But not everybody's sailing out to sea,

C/B Am7

And is there someone there for me?

C/G D7/F#

I'm ready to believe.

[Instrumental]

Dm7 G7 Dm7 G7 Em7 A7

2 bars each

Em7 A7 F#m7 C#m7 D9

1 bar each 2 bars

F#m7 C#m7 D9

1 bar 3 bars start chorus

[Chorus]

A2 F#m7

I did it for you and the boys

D2 E

Because love should teach you joy

F#m7

And not the imitation,

Bm7 D2

That your momma and daddy tried to show you.

E D2 F#m7 C#m7

I did it for you, and for me,

Bm7 E7/G#

And because I still believe,

Fdim7 F#m7

There's only one thing,

C#m7

You can never give up,

Bm7

Never compromise on,

D/E A2 D2 A2 D2

And that's the real thing you need in love.

About The Real Thing Chords by Kenny Loggins

Learn how to play The Real Thing by Kenny Loggins with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “The Real Thing chords”, “The Real Thing guitar chords”, or “Kenny Loggins The Real Thing chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy The Real Thing chords and for experienced players who want accurate The Real Thing lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Ab, Ab2, Db2, A, Cm7, Eb.

FAQ — The Real Thing by Kenny Loggins

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What key is "The Real Thing" in?

The chords for "The Real Thing" show the original chord names (including Ab, Ab2, Db2, A, Cm7, Eb). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.