When You Say Nothing At All by Ronan Keating - For Beginners
Intro G D Cadd9 D x2
Verse 1
[G]It's a- [D]mazing how [Cadd9]you can speak [D]right to my [G]heart, [D] [Cadd9] [D]
[G]Without [D]saying a [Cadd9]word you can [D]light up the [G]dark, [D] [Cadd9] [D]
[Cadd9]Try as I may, I can [D]never explain,
[G]What I [D]hear when you [Cadd9]don't say a [D]thing.
Chorus
The [G]smile on your [D]face lets me [Cadd9]know that you [D]need me,
There's a [G]truth in your [D]eyes saying [Cadd9]you'll never [D]leave me,
The [G]touch of your [D]hand says you'll [Cadd9]catch me wherever I [D]fall,
[Cadd9]You say it best, [D]when you say nothing at [G]all. [D] [Cadd9] [D]
Verse 2
[G]All day [D]long I can [Cadd9]hear people [D]talking out [G]loud, [D] [Cadd9] [D]
[G]But when you [D]hold me [Cadd9]near, you [D]drown out the [G]crowd, [D] [Cadd9] [D]
[Cadd9]Try as they may, they can [D]never define,
[G]What's been [D]said between [Cadd9]your heart and [D]mine.
Chorus
The [G]smile on your [D]face lets me [Cadd9]know that you [D]need me,
There's a [G]truth in your [D]eyes saying [Cadd9]you'll never [D]leave me,
The [G]touch of your [D]hand says you'll [Cadd9]catch me wherever I [D]fall,
[Cadd9]You say it best, [D]when you say nothing at [G]all. [D] [Cadd9] [D]
Instrumental G D Cadd9 D x4
Chorus
The [G]smile on your [D]face lets me [Cadd9]know that you [D]need me,
There's a [G]truth in your [D]eyes saying [Cadd9]you'll never [D]leave me,
The [G]touch of your [D]hand says you'll [Cadd9]catch me wherever I [D]fall,
[Cadd9]You say it best, [D]when you say nothing at [G]all. [D] [Cadd9] [D]
Outro
[G]You say it [D]best, when you say [Cadd9]nothing at [D]all,
[G]You say it [D]best, when you say [Cadd9]nothing at [D]all.
The [G]smile on your [D]face, the [Cadd9]truth in your [D]eyes,
(You say it best, when you say nothing at all)
The [G]touch of your [D]hand, lets me [Cadd9]know that you [D]need me,
[G]You say it [D]best, when you say [Cadd9]nothing at [D]all,
[G]You say it [D]best, when you say [Cadd9]nothing at [D]all.
(Fade out)
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The Story Behind the Song
“When You Say Nothing at All” feels like a deeply personal love song, but its story actually begins years before Ronan Keating recorded it.
Its roots lie in American country music and the song was written in 1988 by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz.
Ronan Keating’s version
A decade later, Ronan Keating recorded the song for the romantic comedy Notting Hill, starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant.
His version was released in 1999 and became a massive international hit, reaching No. 1 in the UK. It also marked a key moment in Keating’s transition from being the frontman of Boyzone to a successful solo artist.
So while Ronan Keating made the song globally famous, its roots lie in American country music - and its lasting appeal comes from a universal truth: sometimes, saying nothing says everything.