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MercyMe - I Can Only Imagine

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#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

Title: I Can Only Imagine
Album: Worship Project & Almost There
Artist: MercyMe
Written By:  Bart Millard

Other versions were sloppy, messy, and confusing to a lot of people
who tried to learn this.  Stick with the timing and this is 100% correct.
Play each note for 4 counts and you'll be praising in no time.

Verse:

E   E   A   A
E   E   A   A
E   E   A   A

Chorus:

A   B   E   E                                     
A   B   E   E
A   B   E   E

End:

A   B   E   E
A   B   C#m   C#m
A   B   E   E
A   B   E

Comments about this tab

Harmony1st - 2004-08-10

what is a c#m?

jartmustang - 2004-08-30

c#m is x46654 there you go enjoy

texaspaul - 2004-08-31

What is the easiest way to play B?
-texaspaul

kimichan - 2004-09-02

xx4442 is the easy way or you can do 224442 but that's baring = harder
you can also do a power B which is x24400 hope that helps

lad3 - 2004-09-05

C#m sounds better played as x46650, there u go. thnx

xtreme4god - 2004-09-08

ya it sounds ver minor that way, like it should. but i prefer just playin it x46600

OneGrlArmy - 2004-09-11

Great job. Where it says to play C#m, you could just play E and it sounds fine. Also, another way to play B is 799800. Play it with E (079900) and A (577600) and it's a really easy song to play.

xtreme4god - 2004-09-13

thankz 1girlarmy, that's an awesome way play it.

BrendoBMX88 - 2004-10-09

For the chord C# I play it as C#m7 which is played X42400 and I think it's a lot easier to play other than the barred chords....mainly because I'm a dork and really lazy so hopefully that'll help most of you all:)

sohmc - 2004-10-13

I don't like playing bar chords. I usually play Bsus in substitute for B. Bsus: x24400. Works like magic. ;-)

BlueButterfly - 2004-10-21

thanx to everyone who has added to this. it's awesome, cuz i can't play bar chords (i suck at it) and i LOVE this song., it's amazing. thank you so much to everyone!!!!

Mark Crochet - 2004-12-30

Hi Brothers and Sisters. I would like to know which Bible passage/verse inspired the words to this song? Thanks so much.

Guitar101 - 2005-01-07

The chord is C#m7. But,I think it sounds better using 046600.

Guitar101 - 2005-01-07

I think that the chords sound better using
E 0 9 11 11 0 0 C#m7 046600
Bsus 024400 Asus2 002200

SixstringGrace - 2005-01-24

OneGirlArmy does have the right idea. I have found its a popular way to play, at least around Michigan, and this is the way I play it the most, and the way I teach it to others when giving lessons. One addition though. When playing the Open E chord (079900), I change with the beat, meaning strum the open E -(079900), then strum (079800) back and forth, using your pinky and middle finger to change with. Then I switch to the open A (577600), and on the chorus, slide up to the open B (799800), then back to the E. This way is a little higher to sing, but kids can pick it up easy, and you don't need the bar B. Peace.

superchick52 - 2005-01-29

yeah you go onegirlarmy it is popular around ohio 2 i guess
-susan

jdill - 2005-03-07

The way I learned to play it came straight from a chord sheet from their website. I start the verse strumming an E (022100) then after a couple beats switch to an EMaj7 (012200) then go to the A2 (002200); that just repeats for the verse. For the chorus I start strumming A2 (002200) the go to a Bsus2 (024400) then back to an E (022100). I think that's pretty much it. I played it along with the cd and it sounds dead on to me. I hope that helps.

Guitar09 - 2005-03-14

GREAT WAY TO PLAY IT ONEGIRLARMY

elessar_ii - 2005-06-25

if you want to change the quality of the chords a little or play along with someone else try these chords:

E - 0 7 9 9 0 0
A - 0 7 7 6 0 0
B - 0 9 9 8 0 0
C#m - 0 11 11 9 0 0

Mar-T - 2005-08-02

I love this song so much! I played it a t the Talent Show at my school in front of 700+ people. The way I play it is with all A2's instead of A's.
This gives it an open sound. But then in the verse's switch quickly from A2 to A then back to A2. Other than that great job. God Bless!

Tbow8938389 - 2005-09-04

I want to play this in the talent show at my school September 30, 2005, but I just can't get the strumming down for some odd reason.

Can someone explain the licks for the chords?????????

Thanx
tbow8938389@hotmail.com

kphoenix - 2005-11-11

The chords are pretty much correct, but it doesn't have that piano sound. This is how I play the chords.

E5 - 022450
E7M - 022440
A2 - x02200
B4 - x24400
C#m - x46650

The transgression goes like this:

Verse - E5 E5 E7M
E5 E5 E7M
A2 A2 A2
A2 A2 A2

Chorus - A2 B4 E5 E7M E5 E7M
A2 B4 E5 E7M E5 E7M
A2 B4

Outro - A2 B4 C#m
A2 B4 C#m B4
A2 B4 E5

tfk_rox - 2005-12-05

its all good

riccrouch - 2005-12-06

Easiest way to play a B? Don't think I'm being flip, but the easiest if you capo 2 and play in D. Does it sound exactly the same? No, but then, I'm not getting paid what Mercy Me does to play it either! ;)

For those trying to learn it quickly, just break out the capo, and then the whole song is just D G A and Bm.

And that and six bucks will buy you a coffee at Starbucks!

Ric

jetfire6914 - 2006-05-03

If anybody wants the inrto to this song, here it is.

(-----0-------------------------------------------)
(---4---0--------0--------0-----------------------)
(----------------------------------------------2--)
(----------1--2------1-2------1--2-------1--2-----)
(------------------------------------4------------)
(-------------------------------------------------) Keep Repeating

This melody is played thoughout the whole song?

jetfire6914 - 2006-05-03

GeetarMan - 2006-08-13

a c#m is jus a B 2 frets awy

GodsKid90 - 2006-09-01

Um. No offense, but after the "4-0-0" and the "1-2-0" That second 1-2-0 doesn't sound right, right after the first two parts, it adds in a different key number then jusr 1-2-0 twice over. It just doesn't sound right to me when I play it on my guitar.

AITEE - 2006-12-06

Hey, that second 1-2-0 is right on. If you listen to the recording you will notice that the second 1-2-0 is a triplet and therefore you must play it faster(3 notes in one beat) and that is why its sounds weird to you.

cutietootie554 - 2007-01-03

any recommended strum patterns...sorry im new at this

haniel - 2007-01-15

This is how i play it at my church

You play it this way first

E----------------------7------7------------------5-----------------------|
B-------4-5-0-----4-5------4-5-----4-5-2----4-5--------------------------|
G------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Then play this

E-------11-12-7----11-12-19---11-12-19-----11-12-9-----11-12-17--|
B----------------------------------------------------------------|
G----------------------------------------------------------------|
D----------------------------------------------------------------|
A----------------------------------------------------------------|
E----------------------------------------------------------------|

haniel - 2007-01-15

E Emaj7
I can only imagine

What it will be like
A2
When I walk

By your side
E Emaj7
I can only imagine

What my eyes will see
A2
When your face

Is before me
E Emaj7
I can only imagine

A2 B
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
E
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
A2 B
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
E
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
A2 B
I can only imagine

E Emaj7
I can only imagine

When that day comes
A2
And I find myself

Standing in the Son
E Emaj7
I can only imagine

When all I will do
A2
Is forever

Forever worship You
E Emaj7
I can only imagine

guitar 4 God - 2007-03-13

i thought you werent supposed to post the lyrics.

NashvilleDan - 2007-05-01

I think jdill had a typo.. I believe the Emaj7 should be 021100 This is a very sweet sound alternating back and forth with the standard E chord 022100 .

And for the general public, I've seen an incorrect word usage in many tabs pages using the word "transgression". It's just Wrong! Playing thru a tab sheet is a CHORD PROGRESSION .... A transgression is something you've done wrong against your neighbor or God Himself. I don't want to be preachy but good english usage is slipping away too fast. Thanks for reading this far.

cowgirl29 - 2007-12-28

hey well guys, uhm, i dont really know what the 012400 means
i know, i know, but i just got my guitar this Christmas! i know A,E,G[2 different ways], C and D.
so can somebody tell me what all those numbers mean?
-thanks it would help ALOT!

pedman6 - 2008-05-21

The lines represent the strings eadgbe. The numbers represent where to put your fingers.

Kaoyee12 - 2010-02-15

Can u guys show me how the number works bcuz I'm not really getting it.

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