Song chords
I Speak Jesus chords
Charity Gayle
Four chords, one per line, at a tempo slow enough that the changes are never the problem. Recorded in E; capo 4 with C shapes puts the record's key inside the four easiest chords on the guitar.
Before you start
The chords you need.
4 shapes covers the whole song, fretted with the capo at fret 4. Tap any diagram’s play button to hear it, or open its page for every voicing on six instruments.
The chart
Section by section.
Capo 4 with C shapes: C sounds as E, Am as C#m, F as A and G as B. The G appears only in the chorus, where it opens every line. Hit play on any section to hear it walk through at 76 bpm.
Verse
4 barsOne chord per line, resolving home at the end.
Shapes as fretted with the capo on — the names above are what you grab, not what you hear.
Chorus
4 barsOpens on the V — the only section that does.
Shapes as fretted with the capo on — the names above are what you grab, not what you hear.
Bridge
4 barsThe verse progression, shouted.
Shapes as fretted with the capo on — the names above are what you grab, not what you hear.
Need it in a different key, or without the capo? Run it through the transposer — move every chord by the same interval and the song is unchanged.
Playing it
What actually trips people up.
Every chord gets a whole line, so the only way to shape the song is with the right hand. Keep the verse on the top three strings and open up to all six for the chorus.
The chart above is the commonly played arrangement — the version a competent player would hand you, not a bar-for-bar transcription of a specific master. Section labels are there to orient you; live and studio versions repeat, extend and drop sections freely, and none of that changes which chords you need.
About this page
Chord names and song structure are facts; for lyrics and official notation, support the artist. This page carries no lyrics on purpose — I Speak Jesus was written and recorded by Charity Gayle, and the words belong to them. What you get here is the harmony: the key, the capo, the tempo, and which chord goes where.
Next
Songs that sit near this one.
FAQ
Questions people actually ask.
What key is I Speak Jesus in?
I Speak Jesus sounds in E Major. The common arrangement gets there with a capo at fret 4 and C Major shapes, which is why the chords written here are C Major chords rather than E Major ones.
Do I need a capo for I Speak Jesus?
Yes for the standard arrangement: capo 4. Without it you would be playing E Major shapes, which needs barre chords. With the capo on, the shapes are C Major — much friendlier under the hand.
What chords are in I Speak Jesus?
C, Am, F and G — 4 chords across 3 sections. Capo 4 with C shapes: C sounds as E, Am as C#m, F as A and G as B. The G appears only in the chorus, where it opens every line.
What is the easiest way to play I Speak Jesus?
Beginner overall. Every chord gets a whole line, so the only way to shape the song is with the right hand. Keep the verse on the top three strings and open up to all six for the chorus.
How fast is I Speak Jesus?
About 76 bpm. Every section on this page plays back at that tempo, so you can hear how long each chord is meant to be held before you try it yourself.
Can I play I Speak Jesus in a different key?
Yes — the progression is the song, not the letters. Move every chord by the same number of semitones and it still works. The transposer will do the arithmetic, or you can move the capo and keep these shapes.