Home Songs Set Lists Chord Charts Reference Education
Help
Contact
If I Only Had A Brain (A Major)
Artist: Bolger, Ray    Genre: Musicals    Strum Pattern: D–D–DUDU    Roman Numerals: I, Imaj7, II7, ii7, IV, V7    Instrument: Guitar - Standard Tuning [E,A,D,G,B,E]   
Song Notes:  
by Harold Arlen (music) and Yip Harburg (lyrics) for The Wizard of Oz, 1939.

NOTE: Slashes after chords indicate that they share one 4-beat measure (one beat per slash). For example:

[A]/[D]/[A]// is played as [A](D–) [D](D–) [A](DUDU)

[Bm7]// [A]/– is played as [Bm7](D–D–) [A](D–––)
Entered by: Cheryl Leon Levy   
▼ Show transpose, instrument, and other display options ▼
A
(A,C♯,E)
- A E A C♯ E
Amaj7
(A,C♯,E,G♯)
- A E G♯ C♯ E
B7
(B,D♯,F♯,A)
- B D♯ A B F♯
Bm7
(B,D,F♯,A)
F♯ A D A B F♯
D
(D,F♯,A)
- - D A D F♯
E7
(E,G♯,B,D)
E B D G♯ B E


Verse 1
[A]/[D]/[A]// is played as [A](D–) [D](D–) [A](DUDU) – one beat per slash
I could [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] while away the hours, con–		 [Bm7Minor 7th Chord (U,m3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second] –ferrin’ with the flowers
Con– [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] /		 [DMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] /		 [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] // –sultin‘ with the rain
[AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] /		 [DMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] /		 [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] //
And my [Bm7Minor 7th Chord (U,m3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second] head I’d be scratchin‘ while my		 [E7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Perfect Fifth] thoughts were busy hatchin’
If I [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] /		 [DMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] /		 [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] // only had a brain
[AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] //		 [E7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Perfect Fifth] /–

Verse 2
I’d un– [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] –ravel ev’ry riddle for		 [Bm7Minor 7th Chord (U,m3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second] any individdle
In [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] /		 [DMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] /		 [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] // trouble or in pain
[AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] /		 [DMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] /		 [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] //
With the [Bm7Minor 7th Chord (U,m3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second] thoughts I‘d be thinkin’, I could		 [E7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Perfect Fifth] be another Lincoln
If I [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] /		 [DMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] /		 [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] // only had a brain
[AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] //		 [E7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Perfect Fifth] /–

Chorus
Oh, [DMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] I could tell you		 [Amaj7Major 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,M7)
on the Perfect Unison] why the		 [Bm7Minor 7th Chord (U,m3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second] ocean’s near the		 [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] shore
I could [Bm7Minor 7th Chord (U,m3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second] think of things I never thunk be–		 [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] –fore,
And then I’d [B7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second] sit and think some		 [E7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Perfect Fifth] ///– more!

Verse 3
I would [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] not be just a nuffin’, my		 [Bm7Minor 7th Chord (U,m3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second] head all full of stuffin’
My [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] /		 [DMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] /		 [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] // heart all full of pain
[AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] /		 [DMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] /		 [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] //
And per– [Bm7Minor 7th Chord (U,m3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second] –haps I’d deserve you and be		 [E7Dominant 7th Chord (U,M3,P5,m7)
on the Perfect Fifth] even worthy erv you
If I [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] /		 [DMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Fourth] /		 [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] // only had a brain
[Bm7Minor 7th Chord (U,m3,P5,m7)
on the Major Second] //		 [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] /–
Find us on Facebook
All content ©2026 by InternetChordDatabase.com
v11.2.3
Sponsored by Venters Consulting, LLC