In this lesson, we’re going to dive into playing an easy song by the famous band U2. The song is called “With or Without You” and is made up of just four chords: D, A7, Bm, and G.
U2 – With or without you
Once you’ve got these chords down, it’s time to get into the rhythm of the song. The rhythm is a simple 4/4 time signature, and it’s based on four strums: down, up, downx (down with a little extra emphasis), and up. This pattern helps to simulate the beat of the drums and gives the song its driving energy.
Here’s the strumming pattern:
To make it easier for you to play along with the original video, here are the chord diagrams for each chord:
D major: 0.0.0.3
A seventh: 0.2.1.2
B minor: 2.0.0.0
G major: 2.0.1.0
Now that you’ve got the chords and rhythm down, you’re ready to play “With or Without You” on your cuatro! Have fun, and don’t hesitate to experiment with your style and variations as you get more comfortable with the song.
With or Without You Lyrics
See the stone set in your eyes
See the thorn twist in your side
I wait for you
Sleight of hand and twist of fate
On a bed of nails she makes me wait
And I wait without you
With or without you
With or without you
Through the storm we reach the shore
You give it all but I want more
And I’m waiting for you
With or without you
With or without you
I can’t live
With or without you
And you give yourself away
And you give yourself away
And you give
And you give
And you give yourself away
My hands are tied
My body bruised, she’s got me with
Nothing to win and
Nothing left to lose
And you give yourself away
And you give yourself away
And you give
And you give
And you give yourself away
With or without you
With or without you
I can’t live
With or without you
With or without you
With or without you
I can’t live
With or without you
With or without you
