I Can't Give You Anything But Love

by Ella Fitzgerald
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How to Play This Song

Learn a simple version, phrase by phrase: the melody, then easy chords.

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Lyrics

(G)Gee, (Cm)but it’s (C6)tough (Cm)to be (Gmaj7)broke, (G6)kid.

It’s not a (D7)joke, kid, for it’s a (G)curse.

(G)My (Cm)luck is (C6)chang (Cm)ing, it’s (Gmaj7)got (G6)ten from sim ply (D7sus)rot (D7)ten to some thing (G)worse.

(Bm)Who knows, some (F#7)day I will (Bm)win, too.

(Bm7)I’ll be (E9)gin to reach my (E7)prime.

(G)Now, (Cm)though I (C6)see (Cm)what our (Gmaj7)end (G6)is, all I can (A9)spend is to just my (C)time.

(G)I can’t give you (G)an y (Bbdim7)thing but (Am7)love,

(D7)ba by.

(G)That’s the on ly (G)thing I’ve (A7)plen ty (Am7)of,

(D7)ba by.

(G7)Dream a while,

scheme a while;

(C)we’re sure to find

(A7)hap pi ness

and I guess

(Am7)all those things you’ve (Bb7)al (Ab7)ways (C7)pined (D7)for.

(G)Gee, I’d like to (G)see you (Bbdim7)look ing (Am7)swell,

(D7)ba by;

(G7)dia mond brace lets Wool worth does n’t (C)sell,

ba by.

Till that luck y (A7)day, you (Eb7)know darned (G)well,

(E7)ba by,

(Am7)I can’t give you (Em6)an y (C)thing (D7)but (G)love.

(G)I can’t give you (G)an y (Bbdim7)thing but (Am7)love,

(D7)ba by.

(G)That’s the on ly (G)thing I’ve (A7)plen ty (Am7)of,

(D7)ba by.

(G7)Dream a while,

scheme a while;

(C)we’re sure to find

(A7)hap pi ness

and I guess

(Am7)all those things you’ve (Bb7)al (Ab7)ways (C7)pined (D7)for.

(G)Gee, I’d like to (G)see you (Bbdim7)look ing (Am7)swell,

(D7)ba by;

(G7)dia mond brace lets Wool worth does n’t (C)sell,

ba by.

Till that luck y (A7)day, you (Eb7)know darned (G)well,

(E7)ba by,

(Am7)I can’t give you (Em6)an y (C)thing (D7)but (G)love.

(G)love.

I Can't Give You Anything But Love — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along

26 people have learned this song

Free karaoke for "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" by Ella Fitzgerald: lyrics on screen with the chords above each line and a bouncing ball that lands on every word in time. Sing along, or play along on guitar or piano from the chord chart. Change the key to fit your voice, slow the tempo down. Key of G, 100 BPM.

Teacher’s notes

This arrangement is a fantastic workout for your left-hand chord vocabulary — you'll cycle through 24 different chords, including diminished shapes like Bbdim7 and Ddim7 that act as smooth chromatic connectors between more familiar major and minor voicings.

At 100 BPM the tempo is conversational, not rushed, so your real challenge is nailing those quick transitions between distant chord colors — watch especially for the jump from something like G6 into Ab7 or Bb7, where your hand has to shift position cleanly without hesitating.

Start hands-separate and loop any four-bar phrase where a diminished or dominant ninth chord catches you off guard.

Once each hand feels automatic, bring them together at around 70 BPM and nudge upward gradually.

The playful, swung rhythm should feel loose, not rigid — lean slightly behind the beat rather than right on it.

This is the piece that'll make extended chords like A9, C9, and E9 feel like old friends under your fingers.

About “I Can't Give You Anything But Love”

What key is "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" by Ella Fitzgerald played in?
I Can't Give You Anything But Love is arranged in the key of G on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "I Can't Give You Anything But Love"?
The arrangement plays at 100 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" easy to play on piano?
This is a medium-difficulty arrangement. Most players can learn it within a few practice sessions using the speed control.
Can I download sheet music for "I Can't Give You Anything But Love"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "I Can't Give You Anything But Love"?
"I Can't Give You Anything But Love" was originally performed by Ella Fitzgerald. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "I Can't Give You Anything But Love"?
This arrangement uses 24 chords: A7, A9, Ab7, Am7, Bb7, Bbdim7, Bm, Bm7, +16 more.
What other songs by Ella Fitzgerald can I play here?
Try "MY HEART BELONGS TO DADDY", "UNDER A BLANKET OF BLUE", "Midnight Sun". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Is there a karaoke version of "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" with lyrics?
Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" by Ella Fitzgerald. The lyrics appear on screen a line at a time and each word lights up exactly when it's sung, with a bouncing ball leading you word to word. A backing plays underneath so you can just sing.
Does it show chords so I can play along on guitar or piano?
It does — a chord symbol sits on a thin row just above the lyric it changes on, so the same screen doubles as a lyrics-and-chords chart. Guitarists can strum the changes and pianists can comp while singing; the chords are colour-coded and move with the live transpose if you change key.
Can I change the key of "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" to match my voice or capo?
Yes. The original is in G, but the live transpose control shifts the whole song up or down semitones until the melody sits in your range (or maps to an easier guitar shape / capo position) — the on-screen chords and the backing move with it.
Can I slow "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" down to learn the words and chords?
Yes — the tempo control lets you take it as slow as you need while the lyrics still light up in time and the ball keeps you on the beat. Speed it back up once you can sing and play it through.