Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Lovely Day on piano
By Bill Withers
- E major
- 4/4
- 98 BPM
- 1977
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Lovely Day in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C#m7 – A – C – Bm7 – E
How it goes
Lovely Day sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 5 chords: C#m7 is C#, E, G# and B; A is A, C# and E; C is C, E and G; Bm7 is B, D, F# and A; E is E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C#m7vi7AIVCbVIBm7v7EI- C#m7C# · E · G# · B
- AA · C# · E
- CC · E · G
- Bm7B · D · F# · A
- EE · G# · B
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Soft chords
How it goes
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 98 BPM
How it goes
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
- 5
Ending: A – B – E
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE- BB · D# · F#
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Questions about Lovely Day
What chords are in Lovely Day?
The loop is C#m7 – A – C – Bm7 – E (vi7 – IV – bVI – v7 – I) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is Lovely Day in?
E major, at about 98 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Lovely Day?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Lovely Day easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 5 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Lovely Day?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.