PianoChords.studio

(I Was) Born to Cry by Dion

Piano chords, voicings & structure breakdown · 16 steps · 3 unique chords · 1960s

Expert transcription. These chords come from a published research transcription of the original recording by trained musicians. A second independent transcription to cross-check against isn't available (or differs in places), so this page isn't marked verified.
IntroStep 1 of 16

Am

LeftA2, E3RightC4, E4, A4
A2E3C4E4A4
Left hand Right hand Middle C (C4)

Harmonic Analysis & Structure

Overview

Key: A minor · Chords used: 3 · Sections: 9

Form: Intro → Verse → Verse → Chorus → Verse ×2 → Chorus → Solo → Outro

Where these chords come from: an expert transcription of the original recording made for the McGill Billboard Project (Burgoyne, Wild & Fujinaga, 2011). This page shows that transcription as-is: the analysis below is generated directly from it by code, not written by AI. Consecutive repeats of a chord are shown once, and the piano voicings are our playable arrangement of each chord symbol, not a note-for-note transcription.

Section by section

Intro

  • Am – Dm – Am – E7
    i – iv – i – V7

Verse 1

  • Am – Dm – Am
    i – iv – i

Verse 2

Same chords as Verse 1.

Chorus 1

  • Am – Dm (×3)
    i – iv
  • E7
    V7

Verse 3

Same chords as Verse 1.

Verse 4

Same chords as Verse 1.

Chorus 2

Same chords as Chorus 1.

Solo

  • Am – Dm – Am
    i – iv – i

Outro

  • Am – Dm – Am
    i – iv – i

Chord vocabulary

ChordRoman numeralRoleHeard in
AmiHome chord (tonic)Intro, Verse, Chorus, Solo, Outro
DmivIn the keyIntro, Verse, Chorus, Solo, Outro
E7V7In the keyIntro, Chorus

Sources & accuracy

  • Chords and sections: the McGill Billboard Project (Burgoyne, Wild & Fujinaga, 2011). Expert transcription by trained musicians (song 1101, CC0), via ChoCo.
  • Not verified: only one expert transcription of this song is available so far.
  • Rhythm and chord durations aren't shown; each step is one chord change.

Sources & Accuracy

Every chord on this page comes from the expert transcription listed first below. Piano voicings are our arrangement of the reported chord symbols, not a note-for-note transcription.

All Piano Voicings

#SectionChordLeft handRight handSources
1IntroAmA2, E3C4, E4, A4—
2IntroDmD2, A2D4, F4, A4—
3IntroAmA2, E3C4, E4, A4—
4IntroE7E2, B2B3, D4, G♯4—
5Verse 1AmA2, E3C4, E4, A4—
6Verse 1DmD2, A2D4, F4, A4—
7Verse 1AmA2, E3C4, E4, A4—
8Chorus 1, part 1 (×3)AmA2, E3C4, E4, A4—
9Chorus 1, part 1 (×3)DmD2, A2D4, F4, A4—
10Chorus 1, part 2E7E2, B2D4, G♯4, B4—
11SoloAmA2, E3E4, A4, C5—
12SoloDmD2, A2F4, A4, D5—
13SoloAmA2, E3E4, A4, C5—
14OutroAmA2, E3E4, A4, C5—
15OutroDmD2, A2F4, A4, D5—
16OutroAmA2, E3E4, A4, C5—