Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play A Wonderful Time Up There on piano
Written by Lee Roy Abernathy
- G major
- 2/2
- 144 BPM
- I–V–I–IV loop
- 1947
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn A Wonderful Time Up There in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – D – G – C
How it goes
A Wonderful Time Up There sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; D is D, F# and A; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIDVGICIV- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Rock’n’roll rocker
How it goes
The left hand rocks between two shapes, straight out of the 1950s. Musicians call it rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle (boogie & shuffle), a medium pattern heard in 262 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Sprint-and-stop chords
How it goes
Four quick chords in the first half, then a calm, empty second half. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 144 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 – C – G
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GCG
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Questions about A Wonderful Time Up There
What chords are in A Wonderful Time Up There?
The loop is G – D – G – C (I – V – I – IV) in G major, and the song ends on G – C – G.
What key is A Wonderful Time Up There in?
G major, at about 144 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in A Wonderful Time Up There?
Rock’n’roll rocker: rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is A Wonderful Time Up There easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.