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Capo 5th fret to keep it simple
Head’s up, this will be an easy lesson of the song – meaning I’m going to use a capo on the 5th fret. This lets you use easier chords and avoid playing the F - Bb - Dm - Bb chords that are used without a capo. See my video lesson for additional reference.
Chord progression, big picture
The entire song uses this progression! C - F - Am - F, applied to the timing below. That is, 8 counts per each chord. Note I’m playing a simplified F, where I only use three fingers to voice the chord. Technically this is an Fmaj7, but I’ll call it an F for the rest of the song. Understand that everything I show you from here on out uses this progression as the foundation.
C F Am F
E ––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0-––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ––1–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––1–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––1-––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––1–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G ––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2-––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
D ––2–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2-––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A ––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0-––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Verse, simplified timing
To start learning the verse, let’s master two things. First, the “pinch” where you pluck two notes at once to start off each chord. Then, within each chord you’ll play those same two notes again - but play them one at a time, starting with the bass note. Follow this tab, and see my lesson for reference. Note - this is a simplified timing compared to what you hear in the actual song! More on that in a minute…
C F Am F
E ––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––
D ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––––
A ––3–––––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Verse, actual timing
Once you’ve mastered the previous step, the next challenge is to implement the actual timing that Shawn Mendes uses. For the 2nd and 3rd chords (F and A-minor, respectively) - note how you’re switching on the “4 +” count before the measure actually begins. Also note, for these two chords you’re not doing the “pinch” to start off that chord. Finally, note how the A-minor has an additional flourish note at the very end of its measure. See my video lesson for reference, or just listen along to the official song.
C F Am F
E ––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––––
D ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––––
A ––3–––––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Pre-chorus strum
Next, let’s get strummy! Use a down-up-down-up, repeating, over and again - with an accented strum (“>”) on the first down strum. That occurs on the “1” and “3” counts of each measure.
C F Am F
E ––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0-––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ––1–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––1–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––1-––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––1–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G ––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2-––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
D ––2–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2-––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A ––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0-––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
Pre-chorus strum, with melody
If you want to take the strum further, this little melody matches the notes he sings in the final two chords of the pre-chorus.
C F Am F
E ––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––(0)–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––(0)––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ––1–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––1––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––(1)––0–––1–––3–––1–––0––––––––––(1)––0–––1–––3–––1–––0–––––––––––
G ––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2-––––––––––––––––––––––2–––––––2–––––––––––––––––––––––2–––––––
D ––2–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2-––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A ––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0-––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
Chorus
Finally, you can do additional melodic strumming as shown here - this matches what it sounds like the guitar is doing in the album version of this song.
C F Am F
E –(0)––––––1–––––––0––––––––––––––(0)––––––1–––––––0––––––––––––––(0)––––––1–––––––0––––––––––––––(0)–––––1––––––––0–––––––––––––––
B ––1–––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––––1–––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––––1-––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––––1–––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––––
G ––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2-––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
D ––2–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2-––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A ––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0-––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
Lyrics
[Intro]
Help me, it's like the walls are caving in...
Sometimes I feel like giving up
But I just can't
It isn't in my blood
[Verse]
Laying on the bathroom floor, feeling nothing
I'm overwhelmed and insecure, give me something
I could take to ease my mind slowly
Just have a drink and you'll feel better
Just take her home and you'll feel better
Keep telling me that it gets better
Does it ever?
[Pre-Chorus]
Help me, it's like the walls are caving in
Sometimes I feel like giving up
No medicine is strong enough
Someone help me
I'm crawling in my skin
Sometimes I feel like giving up
But I just can't
[Chorus]
It isn't in my blood... It isn't in my blood
I need somebody now... I need somebody now
Someone to help me out... I need somebody now
Good luck!
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