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Head Above Water

Chords

4.7460 votes

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Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

[Intro]
Bm  G  D
[Verse 1]
I've gotta Bmkeep the calm Gbefore the Dstorm
I Bmdon't want less, I Gdon't want Dmore
Must Bmbar the windows Gand the Ddoors
To Bmkeep me safe, to Gkeep me Dwarm
[Verse 2]
Yeah, my Bmlife is what I'm Gfighting Dfor
Can't Bmpart the sea, can't Greach the Dshore
And my Bmvoice becomes the Gdriving Dforce
I won't Bmlet this pull me GoverDboard
[Chorus]
God, keep my Bmhead above Gwater
Don't let me Ddrown
It gets Aharder
I'll meet you Bmthere at the Galtar
As I Dfall down to my Aknees
Don't let me Bmdrown, drown, drGown
Don't let me, Ddon't let me, don't let me drAown
[Verse 3]
So Bmpull me up from Gdown Dbelow
Cause I'm Bmunderneath the GunderDtow
Come Bmdry me off and Ghold me Dclose
I Bmneed you now, I Gneed you Dmost
[Chorus]
God, keep my Bmhead above Gwater
Don't let me Ddrown
It gets Aharder
I'll meet you Bmthere at the Galtar
As I Dfall down to my Aknees
Don't let me Bmdrown, drown, drGown
Don't let me, Ddon't let me, don't let me drAown
Don't let me Bmdrown, drown, drGown
(Don't let me,     Ddon't let me, don't let me drAown)
Keep my head above water,                 above water
[Bridge]
And GI cAan't Dsee in the Bmstormy Aweather
GI cAan't Dseem to keep it Bmall Atogether
And GI can't Aswim the Docean like Bmthis fAorever
And GI can't Abreathe
[Chorus]
God, keep my Bmhead above Gwater
I lose my Dbreath
At the bAottom
Come rescue Bmme, I'll be Gwaiting
I'm too Dyoung to fall aslAeep
God, keep my Bmhead above Gwater
Don't let me Ddrown
It gets Aharder
I'll meet you Bmthere at the Galtar
As I Dfall down to my Aknees
Don't let me Bmdro-Gown
Don't let me, Ddon't let me, don't let me drAown
Don't let me Bmdro-Gown
(Don't let me,     Ddon't let me, don't let me drAown)
Keep my head above water,                 above water

All chords in this song (4)

The story behind the song

"Head Above Water" captures the profound experience of battling a severe illness and finding strength to overcome it. Avril Lavigne wrote this song during a challenging time with Lyme disease, feeling like she was drowning and praying to simply keep her head above the water. It's an empowering pop-rock ballad that she described as a "spiritual experience," aiming to bring hope, faith, light, and strength to those who hear it. When you play this song, channel the feeling of resilience and the fight to emerge from a dark place.

AI-written from these sources:Head Above Water (song) — Wikipedia ↗Avril Lavigne — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

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Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

Head Above Water

by Avril Lavigne

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[Intro]

Bm G D

[Verse 1]

Bm G D

I've gotta keep the calm before the storm

Bm G D

I don't want less, I don't want more

Bm G D

Must bar the windows and the doors

Bm G D

To keep me safe, to keep me warm

[Verse 2]

Bm G D

Yeah, my life is what I'm fighting for

Bm G D

Can't part the sea, can't reach the shore

Bm G D

And my voice becomes the driving force

Bm G D

I won't let this pull me overboard

[Chorus]

Bm G

God, keep my head above water

Don't let me drown

It gets harder

Bm G

I'll meet you there at the altar

D A

As I fall down to my knees

Bm G

Don't let me drown, drown, drown

D A

Don't let me, don't let me, don't let me drown

[Verse 3]

Bm G D

So pull me up from down below

Bm G D

Cause I'm underneath the undertow

Bm G D

Come dry me off and hold me close

Bm G D

I need you now, I need you most

[Chorus]

Bm G

God, keep my head above water

Don't let me drown

It gets harder

Bm G

I'll meet you there at the altar

D A

As I fall down to my knees

Bm G

Don't let me drown, drown, drown

D A

Don't let me, don't let me, don't let me drown

Bm G

Don't let me drown, drown, drown

D A

(Don't let me, don't let me, don't let me drown)

Keep my head above water, above water

[Bridge]

G A D Bm A

And I can't see in the stormy weather

G A D Bm A

I can't seem to keep it all together

G A D Bm A

And I can't swim the ocean like this forever

G A

And I can't breathe

[Chorus]

Bm G

God, keep my head above water

I lose my breath

At the bottom

Bm G

Come rescue me, I'll be waiting

D A

I'm too young to fall asleep

Bm G

God, keep my head above water

Don't let me drown

It gets harder

Bm G

I'll meet you there at the altar

D A

As I fall down to my knees

Bm G

Don't let me dro-own

D A

Don't let me, don't let me, don't let me drown

Bm G

Don't let me dro-own

D A

(Don't let me, don't let me, don't let me drown)

Keep my head above water, above water

About Head Above Water Chords by Avril Lavigne

Learn how to play Head Above Water by Avril Lavigne with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Head Above Water chords”, “Head Above Water guitar chords”, or “Avril Lavigne Head Above Water 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 Head Above Water chords and for experienced players who want accurate Head Above Water lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Bm, G, D, A.

FAQ — Head Above Water by Avril Lavigne

How do I play "Head Above Water" by Avril Lavigne on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Head Above Water" by Avril Lavigne on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "Head Above Water" by Avril Lavigne free?

Yes. The chords for "Head Above Water" by Avril Lavigne are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Head Above Water" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Head Above Water" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Head Above Water"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Head Above Water" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Head Above Water" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Head Above Water" by Avril Lavigne with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Avril Lavigne below.

What key is "Head Above Water" in?

The chords for "Head Above Water" show the original chord names (including Bm, G, D, A). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.