Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life on piano
By Monty Python's Spamalot
- A major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- I–vi–ii–V7 loop
- 1979
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – F#m – Bm – E7
How it goes
Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; F#m is F#, A and C#; Bm is B, D and F#; E7 is E, G#, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIF#mviBmiiE7V7- AA · C# · E
- F#mF# · A · C#
- BmB · D · F#
- E7E · G# · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Bossa sway
How it goes
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: a gentle Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 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: D – E – A
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA- DD · F# · A
- EE · G# · B
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Questions about Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life
What chords are in Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life?
The loop is A – F#m – Bm – E7 (I – vi – ii – V7) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life in?
A major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life?
Bossa sway: root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life 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.