I Put A Spell On You

How to play I Put A Spell On You by Nina Simone on guitar

These are the sounding chords. With a capo on fret 2 you play B, Em, E, Am, C, F#, the shapes the player above shows.

This song is worth learning for its dramatic, hypnotic feel and the way the harmony keeps pulling you forward. You get a strong, moody groove at about 120 BPM, so it feels expressive without being rushed. If you lean into the changes, the song has a powerful, almost haunting flow.

The chart mixes open and barre shapes, so it gives you a good workout. D is the open shape here, while C#, F#m, F#, Bm, and G# are the harder barre shapes. The main thing to watch is the opening move from C# to F#m to F# to Bm, since that early shift sets the tone and can trip you up if your fretting hand is late.

Start by looping the opening progression slowly and cleanly until the shapes feel automatic. Then add the rest of the chord cycle in short sections, keeping your changes even and relaxed. Once the transitions are solid, bring it up to tempo and focus on staying steady through every barre shift.

Use the play-along above to follow each chord change in time with the music, or learn the shapes first with the chord diagrams below.