Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play When I Was a Boy on piano
By Dar Williams
- G major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn When I Was a Boy in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gsus4 – G – C – G
How it goes
When I Was a Boy sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Gsus4 is G, C and D; G is G, B and D; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Gsus4Isus4GICIVGI- Gsus4G · C · D
- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Seesaw bass
How it goes
Low, higher, low, higher on every beat: a steady seesaw. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 481 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: C – D – G
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- DD · F# · A
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Questions about When I Was a Boy
What chords are in When I Was a Boy?
The loop is Gsus4 – G – C – G (Isus – I – IV – I) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is When I Was a Boy in?
G major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in When I Was a Boy?
Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is When I Was a Boy easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.