How to Play Valerie Guitar Chords by Amy Winehouse on

WalkerSeptember 7, 2023Last Updated: May 20, 2024

16 4 minutes read

Valerie is a soul-pop song by English indie rock band The Zutons, released in 2006 as the second single from their second studio album Tired of Hanging Around. The song was written by Dave McCabe, Abi Harding, Boyan Chowdhury, Sean Payne, and Russell Pritchard, and produced by Stephen Street. Valerie received positive reviews from music critics, who praised its catchy melody and retro vibe. The song reached the top 10 in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia.

However, Valerie is perhaps best known for its cover version by English singer Amy Winehouse, released in 2007 as the third single from her second studio album Back to Black. The cover was produced by Mark Ronson and featured on his album Version. Winehouse’s version of Valerie was a huge commercial success, surpassing the original in terms of chart performance and sales. The cover also won several awards, including a Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and a Brit Award for Best British Single.

Chords

The chords for Valerie by Amy Winehouse are relatively simple and common. You will need to know how to play the following chords: E, F#m, A, G#m, B. If you are not familiar with these chords, you can find diagrams and tutorials online. Here are the chord shapes for reference:

Hi i thought i would post an easier version of this song, so that maybe beginners could 
this easier, so i worked out the best way to make the chords simpler this is by using a 
on the first fret. All chords are relative to capo on the first fret.

CAPO 1


1st Verse
         D 
Well sometimes I go out, by myself
                        Em 
And I look across the water,
         D 
And I think of all the things, what you're doing
                        Em 
And in my head I make a picture


Chorus 1:
     G 
Cos since I've come on home,
         F#m 
Well my body's been a mess
     G 
And I've missed your ginger hair
         F#m 
And the way you like to dress
     G 
Won't you come on over
F#m                      A 
Stop making a fool out of me...
                              D 
Why won't you come on over Valerie?
Em 
Valerie?

2nd Verse

         D 
Did you have to go to jail,
                        Em 
Put your house up on for sale, did you get a good lawyer?
         D 
I hope you didn't catch a tan,
                        Em 
I hope you'll find the right man who'll fix it for ya
         D 
And are you shoppin' anywhere,
                        Em 
Changed the colour of you hair, are you busy?
         D 
And did you have to pay the fine
                        Em 
You were dodging all the time, are you still dizzy?


Chorus 2:
     G 
Cos since I've come on home,
         F#m 
Well my body's been a mess
     G 
And I've missed your ginger hair
         F#m 
And the way you like to dress
     G 
Won't you come on over
F#m                      A 
Stop making a fool out of me...
                              D 
Why won't you come on over Valerie?
Em 
Valerie?
D 
Valerie?
Em 
Valerie?

Vocal Section:

Well sometimes I go out by myself
And I look across the water
And I think of all the things, what you're doing
And in my head I make a picture

 (you can play the verse chords for this in a simple single strum pattern)

Hope this is all very easy for you, it is good for jamming and playing along.

You can also use a capo to transpose the song to a different key that suits your voice or preference. For example, if you put a capo on the first fret, you can play the song using Eb, Fm, Ab, Gm, Bb instead of E, F#m, A, G#m, B.

Strumming

The strumming pattern for Valerie by Amy Winehouse is not very complicated either. You can use a simple down-up-down-up pattern for most of the song, with some variations depending on the rhythm and dynamics of the song. For example, you can accentuate the first beat of each measure by strumming harder or louder. You can also mute some of the strings with your palm or fingers to create a percussive effect. Here is an example of how to strum the chorus.

Capo

As mentioned earlier, you can use a capo to change the key of the song. A capo is a device that clamps across the fretboard of your guitar and shortens the strings, raising their pitch. By using a capo, you can play the same chord shapes in different keys without having to learn new fingerings or use barre chords. For example, if you put a capo on the first fret and play an E chord shape, you are actually playing an F chord.

Using a capo can have several benefits for playing Valerie by Amy Winehouse on guitar. First of all, it can make the song easier to sing along with if you have a higher or lower voice than Winehouse. You can adjust the capo position until you find a comfortable range for your vocal cords. Second of all, it can make the song sound more interesting and varied by changing its tonality and mood. You can experiment with different capo positions and see how they affect the feel and emotion of the song.

Here are some suggestions for capo positions for Valerie by Amy Winehouse:

Capo on 1st fret: This is a higher key that can make the song sound more bright and upbeat. You can sing in a higher octave or use falsetto if you have a lower voice.
Capo on 3rd fret: This is the original key of the song as recorded by The Zutons. You can play along with the original track or sing in their pitch if you have a similar vocal range.
Capo on 5th fret: This is a lower key that can make the song sound more dark and melancholic. You can sing in a lower octave or use chest voice if you have a higher voice.

Conclusion

Valerie by Amy Winehouse is a popular and catchy song that you can learn to play on guitar with some basic chords, strumming patterns, and capo positions. You can also use your creativity and personal style to make the song your own and express your emotions through music. We hope this blog post has helped you to play Valerie by Amy Winehouse on guitar and have fun with it.