If I Didn't Care

Words & Music by Jack Lawrence

Recorded by The Ink Spots, 1939* (#2)

E7 Fdim A6 Cdim A6 E7 Fdim A6 Cdim A6

If I didn't care more than words can say

Edim B7 Gdim Edim B7 Edim B7

If I didn't care would I feel this way?

D DM7 E7
If this isn't love then why do I thrill?

A A9 F#m
And what makes my head go 'round and 'round

D9 BbM7 E7
While my heart stands still?

E7 Fdim A6 Cdim A6 E7 Fdim A6 Cdim A6

If I didn't care would it be the same?

Edim B7 Gdim B7 Edim B7

Would my ev'ry prayer begin and end with just your name?

D DM7 D6 Cdim A F#7

And would I be sure that this is love beyond compare?

D E7 A Edim E7
Would all this be true if I didn't care for you?

Spoken (over verse chords):

E7 Fdim A6 Cdim A6 E7 Fdim A6 Cdim A6

If I didn't care honey child, mo' than words can say.

Edim B7 Edim B7
If I didn't care baby, would I feel this way?

D DM7 E7
Darlin' if this isn't love, then why do I thrill so much?

A A9 F#m
What is it that makes my head go 'round and 'round

D9 BbM7 E7
While my heart just stands still so much?

E7 Fdim A6 Cdim A6 E7 Fdim A6 Cdim A6

If I didn't care would it be the same?
 Edim B7 Gdim B7 Edim B7
Would my ev'ry prayer begin and end with just your name?

D DM7 D6 Cdim A F#7

And would I be sure that this is love beyond compare?

D E7 A ( Edim E7 )
Would all this be true if I didn't care for you?

*Other highly successful versions of this song were recorded by The Hilltoppers ('54, #17), Connie Francis ('59,
#22), The Platters ('61, #30); and The Moments ('70, #44)
Help With Chords

Listed below, by key, are chords used in these songs. I have

excluded root chords (since most people know them) and also
excluded most of the standard dominant seventh chords (unless a
special form is called for). Chords are listed alphabetically by
Root...and somewhat arbitrarily within those categories.

Readers wishing more in-depth information can either scroll down

this page, or go directly to:
Notes on Chord Descriptions
Notes on Diminished Chords
Chord Naming Conventions
Notes on Transposing to a more convenient key
Chords used in these songs

Chord Descriptions
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As a preface to everything, let me make this clear: I use chord names to describe
specific formations, which are themselves described in detail below. Those
descriptions indicate which string is fretted, and where. For example, the basic E
chord would be described as 022100. The numbers represent the six strings of a
guitar, the one on the left being the lowest tone, theone on the right being the highest.
The number means only where the string is fretted -- I make no suggestions about
which finger frets it there. That's up to you.

An "x" in any string position means "Don't play this string at all." A "0" on a string
means play it open -- not fretted anywhere.

Because I'm describing specific formations by using specific names, let me add that I
already know some of these chord names are not technically correct -- especially
diminished chords, as described below. To repeat: my chord names describe chord
formations and those chord formations are described below.

A Note on Diminished Chords

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As I mention on the home page of this site, my diminished chords are usually mis-
named in all of these charts. Here's why: diminished chords (specifically, diminished
7th chords if you want to split hairs) are all made up of four tones, each three half-
steps apart on the piano keyboard. Since they are equally spaced from each other, the
actual root name for that chord depends on function in the melody. The formation I
refer to as Cdim, formed as 001212 on the fretboard, is played exactly the same,
whether it is functioning as a Cdim, as an E-flat diminished, as F# diminished, or as
Adim.

Because it is played the same, and sounds the same, regardless of what function it is
serving, I always call that formation the same thing in these charts. Why? One
word: Simplicity. Why use -- and have to remember -- four different names for one
formation, when it's going to sound the same regardless of what function it serves or
what you call it?

The truth is, I don't know what function a given chord serves, and I don't care. I care
only about the sound. If you want to know what the chord actually is, I'd suggest
finding a theory book that can explain them -- and consult it any time one of my
charts has a chord with the letters "dim" in it.

Within this convention, I use four primary diminished chord formations and names:
Fdim which is formed as xx0101,
Cdim which is formed as xx1212,
Gdim which is formed as xx2323, and finally, the least common,
Edim which is formed as 012020.

Very rarely, there is an alternate formation used for a couple of these -- identified in
these charts by a Roman Numeral inside a parenthesis after the chord name, such as
Fdim(III). When you see that, you'll begin the formation on the fret number that
matches the number in the parenthesis. A chord marked Cdim(IV) will be formed
as 004545. The oddball is Fdim(III) itself -- it doesn't copy the Fdim formation
exactly, but it's similar: 003434.

Naming Conventions
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Since computer keyboards don't have the "flat" symbol, I use a small "b" to designate
"flat" so Bb means "B-flat" rather than "B-B." The "#" symbol means "sharp." The
small "m" means "minor" and a large "M" means "Major."

The symbol "-" can be read as "flat" -- thus the chord Bm7-5 (you'll find it a lot in my
charts...I love the way it goes to an E7) is stated as "B minor seven flat five." In
general, that symbol "-" means to lower the following number by one fret, so a flat-
five is the fifth moved down by one fret. But you really don't need to remember that --
just finger the chord according to the chart below and it's done for you.

You'll see the symbol "+" used a couple of ways. At the end of a chord name, like A+,
it means "augmented" -- which usually implies "augmented fifth," or the fifth of the
chord raised one-half step. If you see the "+" before a number, like "G+7"
you can read it as "sharp" as in G sharp-seventh but you may be causing yourself
unneeded confusion. While "G+7" in that sense is the same as a G major seventh
(splitting hairs again), it would be awfully easy to confuse that with a "G#7" when it
refers to a dominant 7th in the key of G#. All in all, it just seemed clearer to me to let
the "+" symbol represent the alteration and the "#" symbol represent its more familiar
key meaning and nothing else.

You will also find I use a couple of different voicings for some chords, just because a
slightly different sound is achieved with each. Compare the G+7 to the GM7 below,
and play them on your guitar and you'll see what I mean. Sometimes I think one
"voicing" sounds better than another in the context of a given song. If so, I try to name
it distinctly. (Notice chords below with the letters "alt" in them.)

Along similar lines, some of my "slash" chords which involve numbers (E7/6 for
example) are not technically correct in their names. That E7/6 probably ought to be
E13, or some such. But I'm since I'm using names to describe formations, it makes
more sense to me to call it E7/6 than it does E13. Why? Because E13 means nothing
to me; E7/6 means "start with an E7 and add in a 6th."

If you see a "slash" chord with a letter after it (you'll encounter two of them often --
G/F# and C/B) it means play a basic Major chord based on the first letter, but change
the bass note to the note whose name follows the slash. Thus G/F# is a G chord with
F# in the bass (fingered 220003) and C/B would be a C chord with a B bass note
(played x22010).

Transposing
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Even if you're a complete amateur at the process, transposing any of these charts to a
key better suited to your voice is simpler than you might think. All you need do
is raise or lower the chord cited by a specific number of pitches, or steps. Rather than
even mess your mind with, "Did he mean half steps or whole steps or baby steps or
what?" you can do what I did on just about all of these charts, once I had done the
initial transcription -- that is, employ The Guitarguy's very own, home-made, handy-
dandy Transposition Wheel:
Every chord, no matter how much it's been altered, begins with a letter designation for
the primary name -- whether its obvious like C or A or D, or a little more abstracted
like F# or Bb. If you need to go from the key of C to the key of F, for example,
consult the wheel: move five steps clock-wise and you're there. Now, do the same
thing for every chord your encounter, but leave the modifier the same as it already
is -- for example, a Bm7-5 moves the initial "B" the same number of steps, in the
same direction, to become Em7-5.

How do you know how many steps to use? Depends. How many are comfortable? If
the key of C is 'way too low, skip up (or down) several steps. It's purely a matter of
choice and personal comfort. I use the key of D a lot in these charts, for a couple of
reasons. First, it's comfortable for me to sing in that key most of the time. Second,
because I use that key a lot, I am very familiar with the chord variations that add
"color" in that key, without having to think too much about how to form them.

And that, my friend, is all there is to it.

Chords used in these songs

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The following are chords that I have used in constructing these my charts:

Ab
Ab=xx111x
Ab+=xx211x
A
A(V)=577655
A+=003220
A-9=002320
A6=002222
A6alt=004220
A6/7/9=002002
A7+9=032020
A7+5=003020
A7-9=012020
A7-5=001020
A7/6(V)=575675
A7/9=002000
A7/9+5=003000
A7sus4=002030
A9=002200
Ab=xx111x
Am+5=003210
Am+7=000211
Am7/6=004010
Am6=004210 or 002212
Am7 alt=002013
Am7-5=001010
AM7=002120
AM7/9=02100
AM7/6=002122
Am/F#=202210
Am7/F#=202010
Am7/G=302010
AM7=002120
AM7/9=002100 Asus4=002230
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B Flat
Bb7=113131
Bb9=110111
Bb=113331
BbM7=003230
BbM7 alt=003234
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B
B+=021000
B7(II)=224242
B7/9=x2122x
B7sus4=x22202
Bm7-5=023230
Bm7=004432
Bm7sus4=004430
BM7=xx434x
Bm=224432
Bm7/E=004432
Bm9=220222
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C/B=020010
C6=x32210
C7alt='xx2313
C7/9=032330
C9=332030
C alt=032013
Cdim(IV)=004545
Cdim=xx1212
Cm(7)=005543 or =335343
CM7/6=332200
CM7/9=332030
Cm7=005543
CM7=332000
Cm9=005545
Cm=335543
Csus4=332011
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C Sharp

C#7=x43404
C#7/G#=4x3404
C#m7-5=045450
C#m7=xx6654
C#m7alt=xx6650
C#m=446654
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D alt=004235
D+=000332 (also called D+5)
D6/9=000200
D6=000202
D/F#-2002xx
D6sus4=020032
D7+=000312
D7-5=000112
D7/9=000210
D7sus4=000213
D9=004230
D9alt=000230
D9sus4=002033
Dm+7=000221
Dm6=000201
Dm7-5=000111
Dm7-5=056560 (alternate formation)
DM7=000222
DM7/9=00220
Dm7sus4=000213
Dsus4=000233
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E Flat

Eb6=xx1313
Eb=xx1343
EbM7=xx1333
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E+7=021100
E+=032100
E-9=023100
E6=022120 (or 042100)
E7+5=020110 (or 030100 or 032130)
E7alt=020130
E7+=000110
E7-5=012030
E7-9=023130
E7/6=020120
E7/9=020102
E7sus4=020200
E9=024100
Edim=012020
Em+5=022020
Em/F#=222000
Em6 alt=042000
Em6=022020
Emsus4=022200
Em7-5=078780
Em7/9=020002
Em7sus4=020200
Em9=024000
Esus4=022200
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F

F6=133231
F7=131211
F7/9=131213
F7-9=034240
Fdim(III)=xx3434
Fdim=xx0101
Fm7/6=131131
Fm7/9=131113
FM7=033210
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F Sharp
F#7-9=045340
F#7=242322
F#=244322
F#6=244342
F#m7=244222
F#m7/6=242242
F#m7-5=202210
F#malt=244225
F#m+7=244224
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G
G+7=320002
G+=xx1003
G-9=320004
G/F#=220003
G/B=020030
G5=32003x
G5/7=32303x
G6=320000 or 302003
G6/9=000203
G7+5=xx1001
G7-9=056460
G7+=xx1001
G7/6=323000
G7alt=323003
G9=300203
G9=300203
Gdim-xx2323
Gm6=355353
GM7/6=324000
GM7=32400x
Gm7=353333
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G Sharp
G#7=464544
G#m7-5=04536
G#m7=464444
G#m=466444