Angels
This song rates as one of the greatest songs of the nineties, even though when it was originally released it's highest position in the UK charts was number 4. It went on to win best british single at the Brit Awards in 1999 , and become one of the British public's best loved songs.
However, the song is not without controversy. Credited as sole work of Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers, it emerged in 2003 that another songwriter was originally involved, penning most of the lyrics and music to the first verse, and the words to the first line of the chorus. According to an article in the Scotsman in 2003, Ray Heffernan, an Irish singer songwriter, was payed £10,000 for his contribution to "Angels". Heffernan's original title to the song was "Angels Instead" which he wrote in memory of his unborn child in 1996. However, he was dissatisfied with it, and credits Robbie and Guy Chambers as the writers of the chorus. Heffernan is said to be mentioned on the album "Life Thru A Lens" in a crypt credit.
How to play 'Angels' on the piano or guitar
You will need to be aware of a number of chords to be able to play this song. These are E, A, D, C#m, F#m and later Bm (in the instrumental). Try to count a steady four beats to the bar, and play the chords on each beat. Here is the a version of "Angels" on youtube to try playing along to, when you are familiar with the chord changes.
If you are playing Angels on the piano, try to learn the difference between E/G# and a normal E chord. E/G# is the first inversion of E major, and the notes look like this (in ascending order up the keyboard) G# - B - E
You'll see this chord in action at the end of the second line in the Angels song, and also later in the chorus. On each occasion, the previous chord is A major, and it's actually easier to move to E/G# from A than it is to move from A to E. This is because both E/G# and A chords have a common note (E) which we can use as a pivot as we move between the
two chords.
Playing 'Angels' in the key of E on the guitar is quite demanding for the beginner because it involves the barre chords B, C#m and F#m. If this proves too difficult to begin with, consider playing Angels in D major key with capo 2. Here the opening chords in the verse would be D G D/F# A. This is then repeated. Next play Em, G, Bm , G, followed by C, G/B, D (twice round these chords). For the chorus of Angels, play this chord sequence twice - A, Bm, G, D and finish the section with Em, C , G/B, D.
The Lyrics & Chords to 'Angels' for the piano or guitar, in E major
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