America - You Could've Been The One: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "You Could've Been The One" on your guitar with our detailed chord guide and lyrics. This page provides everything you need to perform this song on the guitar, including lyrics integrated with chords, chord diagrams, and a key transposer to match your vocal range.

Learn You Could've Been The One Guitar Chords and Lyrics by America

This section will guide you through each part of the song, providing the guitar chords placed directly above the lyrics for easy playing. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, these elements will help you perform "You Could've Been The One" smoothly on your guitar.

For easier playing, use our Simplify Chords feature to remove difficult chords like barre.

            B                   C#m
There's a bright light that's shinin' in your face
    A       Amaj7        B
You can't even see me at all
        C#m          E
Oh, you look like an angel out of place
A        B7       E
At this downtown devil's bar

Emaj7
Do you wanna dance girl
A        A6
You said no thanks
       E                  Emaj7
And I watched you drift away
         A
Well you had your chance

Chorus:
B7                   C#m
You could've been the one
        G#m                   A
Tonight you could've been the only one
B                  C#
For the rest of my life
        G#m                    A
I'll be dreamin' of you when this dance is done
        B7                    E
Knowin' you could've been the one

If I come back here I might see you again
And maybe you'd say yes
But it's a losin' game I'm tryin' to win
And I can only guess

Do you have somebody (watchin')
Who watches you
As you let down your hair
By the light of the moon

Chorus

        B7                    E   Emaj7 A B C#7
Knowin' you could've been the one

F#                       Bmaj9
Where do you go when the night ends
        A#m    C#7   F#sus4     F#
Are you just a dream that fades into gray
C#         F#            B
Visions of you will not leave me alone
F#m                 B7
Why did you have to turn away

Chorus:
                      C#m
You could've been the one
        G#m                   A
Tonight you could've been the only one
B7                    C#m
   For the rest of my life
        G#m                       A
I'll be dreamin' of you when this dance is done
        B7                        C#m
Knowin' you could've been the one

        G#m                   A
Tonight you could've been the only one
B7                    C#m
   For the rest of my life
        G#m                       A
I'll be dreamin' of you when this dance is done
        B7                        C#m
Knowin' you could've been the one


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

A

Guitar chord A

A6

Guitar chord A6

A#m

Guitar chord A#m

Amaj7

Guitar chord Amaj7

B

Guitar chord B

B7

Guitar chord B7

C#

Guitar chord C#

C#7

Guitar chord C#7

C#m

Guitar chord C#m

E

Guitar chord E

Emaj7

Guitar chord Emaj7

F#

Guitar chord F#

F#m

Guitar chord F#m

F#sus4

Guitar chord F#sus4

G#m

Guitar chord G#m

Here you can see detailed diagrams for each guitar chord used in the song. Utilize our key transposer to adjust the chords to a key that better fits your singing range. Simply select the desired key, and the chords throughout this page will update automatically, ensuring you can play and sing comfortably.

If you are also interested in learning how to play "You Could've Been The One" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "You Could've Been The One" by America.

America Song List