{title: Falling Slowly}
{artist: Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova}
{album: Once OST (2007)}
{key: C}
{tempo: 75}
{difficulty: intermediate}
{tags: hearthside,duet,modern-folk}
{video: youtube:k8mtXwtapX4}
{credit: Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova - 'Falling Slowly' (Official Video, from the film Once, 2007). (c) Sony Music.}

{c: From the film Once (2007). Won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.}
{c: Lyrics copyright the artists. Chord skeleton below.}
{c: For full lyrics: the official music video, the Once OST liner notes, or Hansard's published songbooks.}

{c: ===== KEY & CAPO =====}
{c: Hansard's recording is in E. Most guitarists play in C with capo 4 — easier shapes, original key.}
{c: For your family band: try C, no capo, drop the key a step. Or capo 4 to match the recording.}

{c: ===== STRUCTURE =====}
{c: Intro → Verse 1 → Verse 2 → Chorus → Verse 3 → Chorus → Bridge → Final Chorus → Outro}

{c: ===== VERSE PROGRESSION (in C) =====}
[C]________ [G]________ [Am]________ [F]________
[C]________ [G]________ [Am]________ [F]________

{c: ===== CHORUS PROGRESSION =====}
[F]________ [C]________ [G]________ [Am]________
[F]________ [C]________ [G]________ [Am]________
[F]________ [C]________ [G]________ [F]________

{c: ===== BRIDGE =====}
[Am]________ [F]________ [C]________ [G]________
[Am]________ [F]________ [C]________ [G]________

{c: ===== HOW THE FAMILY BAND PLAYS IT =====}
{c: Verse 1: you on guitar, light arpeggio (don't strum). Single voice — whoever takes the lower lead.}
{c: Verse 2: same arrangement; second voice joins quietly underneath on the last two lines.}
{c: Chorus: both voices full, guitar starts strumming, fiddle plays the high counter-melody two octaves up.}
{c: Bridge: drop instruments to a single guitar arpeggio. Both voices in tight harmony.}
{c: Final chorus: full band. Kid joins on bodhrán with a soft heartbeat pattern.}
{c: Outro: drop back to single voice and arpeggio. Let the last line hang in the room.}

{c: ===== WHY IT WORKS FOR YOU =====}
{c: This is the song the film Once is about. It's the song two strangers play together for the first time and realise they were always going to play together. If you've been married long enough to have a 7-year-old, you've had that moment. Sing the song.}