Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Drive My Car on piano
Written by John Lennon & Paul McCartney
- D major
- 4/4
- 110 BPM
- I–IV–I–IV loop
- 1965
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Drive My Car in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – G – D – G
How it goes
Drive My Car sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIGIVDIGIV- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Run-up footsteps
How it goes
Four steady steps plus a quick extra one that leads into the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 581 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Peekaboo chords
How it goes
A chord on 2, then two surprises popping up between the beats. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 110 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: G – A – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- AA · C# · E
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Questions about Drive My Car
What chords are in Drive My Car?
The loop is D – G – D – G (I – IV – I – IV) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Drive My Car in?
D major, at about 110 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Drive My Car?
Run-up footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Drive My Car 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.