Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers - Easy Ukulele Chords
Intro Am
Verse 1
[Am]Ain't no sunshine when she's [Am]gone [Em] [G] [Am]
[Am]It's not warm when she's a-[Am]way [Em] [G] [Am]
Ain't no sunshine when she's [Em]gone… and she's
always gone too [Dm]long
Anytime, she goes [Am]away [Em] [G] [Am]
Verse 2
[Am]Wonder this time where she's [Am]gone [Em] [G] [Am]
[Am]Wonder if she's gone to [Am]stay [Em] [G] [Am]
Ain't no sunshine when she's [Em]gone, and this
house just ain't no [Dm]home
Anytime, she goes a-[Am]way [Em] [G] [Am]
Bridge
[No chords here - fade out, then fade in gently]
And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
Hey, I ought to leave the young thing alone
But ain't no sunshine when she's [Am]gone [Em] [G] [Am]
Verse 3
[Am]Ain't no sunshine when she's [Am]gone [Em] [G] [Am]
[Am]Only darkness every [Am]day [Em] [G] [Am]
Ain't no sunshine when she's [Em]gone
and this house just ain’t no [Dm]home
Anytime, she goes a- [Am]way [Em] [G] [Am]
Outro
Anytime, she goes a- [Am]way [Em] [G] [Am]
Anytime, she goes a- [Am]way [Em] [G] [Am]
Anytime, she goes a- [Am]way [Em] [G] [Am]
Anytime, she goes a- [Am]way [Em] [G] [Am]
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The Story Behind the Song
“Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers is a song about the emptiness and loneliness that follow when someone you love leaves. Released in 1971 on his debut album Just As I Am, it became one of Withers’ most famous songs.
The song’s simple lyrics and sparse arrangement emphasize that feeling of loss. One of its most memorable moments is the repeated phrase “I know” 26 times. According to Withers, he originally intended to write more lyrics there, but other musicians and producers liked the repetition and convinced him to keep it. The result became one of the song’s defining features.
The song was a major success, winning a Grammy Award and helping establish Bill Withers as one of the great soul songwriters. More than 50 years later, its honesty, simplicity, and emotional depth continue to resonate with listeners around the world.