It’s the most famous minor blues ever written. Honestly, if you walk into any blues jam in any city on earth and start that slow, driving 4/4 pulse in B minor, everyone on stage knows exactly what to do. But here’s the thing: most people mess up the thrill is gone chords because they try to play them like a standard 12-bar blues. They aren't.
B.B. King didn't just play the blues; he owned the space between the notes. When he recorded this version in 1969 for the Completely Well album, he changed the game. Producer Bill Szymczyk made a radical call to add strings, which was basically unheard of in gritty blues at the time. But the foundation of that haunting atmosphere isn't the violins—it’s the specific chord progression that deviates from the "happy" sounding dominant chords we usually hear in the genre.
The Structure That Makes It Hurt
Most blues songs are built on a 1, 4, and 5 chord structure using Dominant 7th chords. Think of a standard shuffle in E. You've got E7, A7, and B7. It sounds rowdy. It sounds like a Saturday night. Thrill is gone chords are different because the song is a minor blues. This shifts the entire emotional weight. Instead of that "I’m broke but I’m drinking" vibe, you get a "my soul is actually leaving my body" vibe.
The song is almost always played in the key of B minor.
The main progression follows a 12-bar format, but with a twist in the "turnaround" (the part at the end of the loop that brings you back to the start). You start on B minor (Bm). Then you move to E minor (Em). Then back to B minor. So far, pretty standard. But when you hit that 9th bar, everything changes. Instead of a standard major chord or a simple 5-chord, B.B. uses a G Major 7 (Gmaj7) followed by an F#7.
That jump from Gmaj7 down to F#7 is the "secret sauce." It creates a sophisticated, almost jazzy tension that typical blues songs lack. If you just play a straight G7, it sounds okay. If you play that Gmaj7? It sounds like heartbreak.
Why B Minor?
Guitarists love E and A. They're easy. You have open strings. But B minor forces you into a specific part of the neck—the 7th fret. This is where B.B. King’s "Lucille" (his Gibson ES-355) lived. By playing the thrill is gone chords in B minor, you’re forced to use barre chords or small "triad" shapes. This gives the rhythm section a very tight, percussive sound.
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Think about the bass line. It’s iconic. It’s a simple "1-5-6-5" pattern in B minor. If the chords were major, that flat-sixth note in the bass would sound like a mistake. In B minor, it sounds like destiny.
Breaking Down the 12-Bar Minor Cycle
If you’re sitting there with a guitar or a keyboard, try this. Don't just strum. Let the notes breathe.
The first four bars are Bm7. You can use a standard barre chord at the 7th fret. B.B. usually played a very sparse version of this. He wasn't a big "chord guy"—he left the heavy lifting to the rhythm guitarist while he focused on those stinging single notes.
Bars five and six switch to Em7. This is the "IV" chord. It raises the tension slightly.
Bars seven and eight return to Bm7. You’re home, but you’re not comfortable.
Then comes the "Turnaround" in bars nine through twelve. This is where 90% of beginners get it wrong. They play a F#7 for two bars and then a Bm. Boring. Wrong. To get it right, you play Gmaj7 for one bar, then F#7 for one bar. Finally, you land back on Bm7 for two bars (or Bm7 for one bar and F#7 for one bar if you’re heading back into another verse).
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The "B.B. Box" and How it Fits the Chords
You can’t talk about the chords without talking about the soloing. B.B. King used what we now call the "B.B. Box." It’s a specific shape of the minor pentatonic scale that sits right under your fingers when you're playing the thrill is gone chords.
Because the progression uses that Gmaj7, the B minor natural minor scale works beautifully here, not just the pentatonic. That extra note—the "natural 6th"—is what makes the song feel so sophisticated. Most blues players avoid that note because it sounds "too pretty." B.B. leaned into it. He made "pretty" sound painful.
Common Mistakes People Make
- Playing it too fast. This isn't a race. The original recording is around 90 BPM. It needs to simmer. If you rush the chords, the "thrill" isn't gone; it's just caffeinated.
- Over-strumming. Listen to the 1969 track. The guitar chords are almost tucked away. They provide a bed for the vocals and the lead lines. If you're playing acoustic, try a "stutter" strum—hit the low notes, then a quick flick on the high strings.
- Using "Stock" Chords. A standard Bm barre chord is fine. But a Bm9 (adding that A and C#) makes it sound expensive. Use the Bm9 at the 7th fret for a more modern, soulful feel.
- Ignoring the Gmaj7. I’ve seen guys play a G7 or even just a G major. It’s fine, I guess. But you lose that "maj7" shimmer that defines the track. That F# note inside the Gmaj7 chord creates a beautiful dissonance that resolves perfectly when you move to the F#7 chord.
Gear and Tone for That 1969 Sound
To make these chords sound right, you need a specific tone. You don't want heavy distortion. You want "edge of breakup."
B.B. used Lab Series L5 amps later on, but in the late 60s, it was often Fender Twins. To get the vibe, use a humbucker-equipped guitar (like a 335 or a Les Paul) on the middle position—both pickups active. Turn the volume down slightly on the guitar to clean up the signal.
When you play the thrill is gone chords with a bit of reverb and maybe a tiny bit of compression, you get that "thump" that stays clean but carries weight. It’s a "dry" sadness.
Beyond the Basics: The 1990s Live Versions
If you watch B.B. play this live in the 90s (check out the Montreux footage), the chords get even simpler. He started leaving out more and more, letting the bass and the keyboards hold the fort. This is a lesson in minimalism. Sometimes the best way to play the chords is to not play them at all on every beat. Just hit the "one" and let it ring.
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The interplay between the Bm7 and the Em7 becomes a conversation. The chords aren't just a background; they are the "walls" of the room B.B. is sitting in.
Actionable Steps for Mastering the Song
First, pull up the original 1969 studio version. Don't look at a chart yet. Just listen to the bass. It tells you everything about the timing.
Next, grab your instrument and find these three shapes:
- Bm7: (7-x-7-7-7-x) on guitar.
- Em7: (x-7-9-7-8-7) or (0-2-2-0-3-0).
- Gmaj7 to F#7: This is the critical transition. (3-x-4-4-3-x) to (2-x-2-3-2-x).
Practice the transition from Gmaj7 to F#7 repeatedly. It’s the hardest part of the song to get "smooth." Most players fumble the finger switch and lose the groove.
Once you have the shapes, work on the "push." The blues isn't exactly on the beat. It’s a tiny bit behind it. Imagine you’re walking through mud. That’s how the thrill is gone chords should feel.
Finally, try recording yourself playing the rhythm for five minutes straight. Can you keep it steady without getting bored? Can you keep the dynamics low so a singer (or your own lead playing) has space to move? That’s the real test of a blues player.
The chords are easy to learn, but they take a lifetime to "feel." B.B. King played this song thousands of times, and every time, that B minor chord sounded like he was hearing it for the first time. That’s the goal. Don't just play the notes; feel the vacancy they create. The thrill might be gone, but the music is permanent.