Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play A Big Hunk O’ Love on piano
Written by Aaron Schroeder & Sid Wyche
- G major
- 4/4
- 140 BPM
- I–IV–I–IV loop
- 1959
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn A Big Hunk O’ Love in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – C – G – C
How it goes
A Big Hunk O’ Love sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: 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.
GICIVGICIV- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Rock’n’roll climb
How it goes
Up three chord notes and one step past: the 1950s rock’n’roll climb. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5-6 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 204 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pausing chords
How it goes
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 140 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 – C7 – G
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GC7G- C7C · E · G · Bb
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Questions about A Big Hunk O’ Love
What chords are in A Big Hunk O’ Love?
The loop is G – C – G – C (I – IV – I – IV) in G major, and the song ends on G – C7 – G.
What key is A Big Hunk O’ Love in?
G major, at about 140 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in A Big Hunk O’ Love?
Rock’n’roll climb: broken chord 1-3-5-6, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is A Big Hunk O’ Love 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 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.