Helpless

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1/416
Sound:
123456789101112131415eBGDAE1123×11234
Step 1 / 416Position: 1
1 index2 middle3 ring4 pinkyO open
John Mayer
"Helpless"
Standard tuning. Corrections welcome!

   F     C     F/A   Am    E7    Eb    Am7
e|-1----------(5)----5-----7----(6)----5-----|
B|-1-----5-----6-----5-----9-----8-----5-----|
G|-2-----5-----5-----5-----7-----8-----5-----|
D|-3-----5-----7-----7-----9-----8-----5-----|
A|-x----(3)----------x-----7-----6-----7-----|
E|(1)----------------5-----------------5-----|

[Intro]
  F       C        F/A         C/G     F/A     Am7                  F       C    
e|1---------------|--------------------------------|----------------1---------------|
B|1-------5-------|6p5h6---x---5-------6-----------|----------------1-------5-------|
G|2-------5-------|5-------x---5-------5-------5---|----------------2-------5-------|
D|3-------5-------|7p5h7---x---5-------7-------5h7~|--7-5---7-------3-------5-------|
A|x-------3-------|----------------------------x---|----x-----------x-------3-------|
E|1---------------|----------------------------5---|----5-----------1---------------|
  3 e + a 4 e + a  1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a  1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a 

  F/A         C/G     F/A     Am7                  F       C
e|--------------------------------|----------------1---------------|
B|6p5h6---x---5-------6-----------|----------------1-------5-------|
G|5-------x---5-------5-------5---|----------------2-------5-------|
D|7p5h7---x---5-------7-------5h7~|--7-5---7-------3-------5-------|
A|----------------------------x---|----x-----------x-------3-------|
E|----------------------------5---|----5-----------1---------------|

  Overdub (intro only)
e|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
G|5-------------------------------|--------------------------------|
D|7--p5--h7--p5--h7--p5---h7------|--------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

   Main rhythm fig.
e|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
B|6p5h6---x---5-------6-----------|----------------6-------5-------|
G|5-------x---5-------5-------5---|----------------5-------5-------| Main ryhthm fig. repeats throughout 
D|7p5h7---x---5-------7-------5h7~|--7-5---7-------7-------5-------| the verses. Chords listed below
A|------------x---------------x---|----x---------------------------| reflect overall harmony icluding bass.
E|------------5---------------5---|----5---------------------------|

[Verse]
F   C    F/A                        Am7
The same drink that gets me out the door
F   C  F/A                            Am7
Is the same drink that puts me on the floor
F       C   F/A                    Am7   
And the new thing I wanna try some more 
F      C    F/A                      Am7
Is the same mistake I used to make before

[Chorus]
        F/A
If I'm helpless tell me now
        Am
Tell me now
        F/A
If I'm helpless tell me now
        Am
Tell me now
        F/A
If I'm helpless tell me now
        Am
Tell me now
         F/A                      Am   
And I'll stop trying to figure it out

F/A   Am
F/A   Am

[Verse]
F   C    F/A                       Am7
The same brain that brings me ecstacy
F      C    F/A                        Am7
Is the same pain that gets the best of me
    F   C     F/A                        Am7
And the one I love the most just said to me
F C      F/A                    Am7
A broken heart is all I'll ever be

[Chorus]
        F/A
If I'm helpless tell me now
        Am
Tell me now
        F/A
If I'm helpless tell me now
        Am
Tell me now
        F/A
If I'm helpless tell me now
        Am
Tell me now
         F/A                      Am   
And I'll stop trying to figure it out

[Solo]
F/A   Am x7
E7
E7    Eb

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------8-----------------------------|
G|----5b.5-7--7~p5-7~p5-7--b9r7p5---5~-h7-------5b.5-7-7p5---7b9b9r7-5-------------------|
D|--7-----------------------------7-------7---7------------------------7p5----7~---------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------7------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|------------------------------------------------5--------------------------------------|
B|----------------------8------------------------------------8-----8-----8-----8-----10~-|
G|-----5-7-7b8-7-5--7b9--------5-7-7b8-7-5----7b9------5-7b9---7b9---7b9---7b9---7b9-----|
D|5--7-----------------------7-------------7---------7-----------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|----------------------15~-----------------------------------------------------------17-|
B|13--15--15--13--15b17------r15--13--15--13-----------13------13--15b16r15-13--15b17----|
G|-------------------------------------------14p12-14~-----14----------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|17~--17-15------------15----------17-20b22--20b22-17----17~----17------20b22-17~-------|
B|-----------17p15--17~-------17-20-----------20b22----20------------20------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|------12--------12---------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|15b17----15b17-----15-12------12-------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------14b16---12b13----------9---7-------------------------------7--|
D|----------------------------------------14-12~--------9-7\5--------------5h7-7p5-/9--9-|
A|------------------------------------------------------------7p5-7p5---/7---------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------8b.5-------------8------------8-------------------------------------|
G|-----7------/9---------9p7--h9--7---7b9r8r7------7b9~r---------------------------------|
D|/9-----9-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

[Bridge]
F/A  Am7
     Help me
F/A  Am7
     Help me
F/A  Am7
     Help me

[Chorus]
        F/A
If I'm helpless tell me now
        Am
Tell me now
        F/A
If I'm helpless tell me now
        Am
Tell me now
        F/A
If I'm helpless tell me now
        Am
Tell me now
         F/A                      Am   
And I'll stop trying to figure it out
       F/A
If I'm helpless
       Am
If I'm helpless
       F/A
If I'm helpless
          F/A                      Am
Then I'll stop trying to figure it out

[Outro]
F/A   Am x8

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|10~-------10b12b13r10~----14b15-13--------15b17----15b17----15b17--15b17--15b17--15b17-|
G|-----------------------------------14~-------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|15b17-13------15b17b17b17----15b17-14b15-13--------------15b17-15b17-13----15b17b17----|
G|---------14---------------------------------14--14p12-------------------14-------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|15-------------------------8~--5---8---5---8-5---8-5----------------------------8~--5--|
B|-pb16r15-13--------------5-------5-------5-----5-----5---5--------------------5-------5|
G|------------14--14-12\---------------------------------7---5---7-5b6------5------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------7--------7~---------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|8-5---8-5------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----5-----5----5----5-8-5------------------------------15b17-----r15b17r15-13-13----13~|
G|------------7b9--7b9------7b9-7-5---7-5b6---5------------------------------------14----|
D|----------------------------------7-------7---7--5-------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------12b15----r12----|
B|15---------15-15b17---15b17r15-13--13\12-12-pb13r12-10--10--10--------(12b15----r12)---|
G|--------14------------------------------------------------------12---------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|12-12-10-10-------10-10-------10---12b15---r12---12-12---------------------------------|
B|------------13-13~---10-13-13~----(12b15---r12)--------13-13b15-10-10------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------\7--7--5--5-------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------7--7-|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------13b.5------13b.5-------------------------------13-------15b16r15b15---15----|
G|---------------14p12-----14p12---14~------------------------14p12-------------------14-|
D|\5--5-3p0-----------------------------\12-10-------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------12-10-12~-10------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|----x---------------------------|
B|13--x---------------------------|
G|----x---14---14~--14--/17b18----| Fade out
D|----x---------------------------|
A|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|

***********************************

| h   Hummer-on
| p   Pull-off
| ~   Vibrato
| x   Dead note
| b   Bend
| b.5 Bend 1/4 step
| pb  Pre-Bend
| r   Release
| ()  Ghost note

***********************************

Helpless chords and lyrics

Free chords for Helpless by John Mayer. Scroll the interactive sheet above or read the chord names inline below.

John Mayer
"Helpless"
Standard tuning. Corrections welcome!
[Verse]
[Chorus]
F/A   Am
F/A   Am
[Verse]
[Chorus]
[Solo]
F/A   Am x7
E7
E7    Eb
[Bridge]
[Chorus]
[Outro]
F/A   Am x8
***********************************
| h   Hummer-on
| p   Pull-off
| ~   Vibrato
| x   Dead note
| b   Bend
| b.5 Bend 1/4 step
| pb  Pre-Bend
| r   Release
| ()  Ghost note
***********************************

Helpless Chords by John Mayer

Learn how to play Helpless by John Mayer with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Helpless chords”, “Helpless guitar chords”, or “John Mayer Helpless 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 Helpless chords and for experienced players who want accurate Helpless lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include F, C, F/A, Am, E7, Eb.

Frequently asked questions about Helpless

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What key is "Helpless" in?

The chords for "Helpless" show the original chord names (including F, C, F/A, Am, E7, Eb). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.