Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Back On The Chain Gang on piano
Artist unknown
- D major
- 4/4
- 135 BPM
- vi–III7–vi–III7 loop
- Easy
Learn Back On The Chain Gang in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bm – F#7 – Bm – F#7
Back On The Chain Gang sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bm is B, D and F#; F#7 is F#, A#, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BmviF#7III7BmviF#7III7- BmB · D · F#
- F#7F# · A# · C# · E
- 2
Left hand: Stair steps
Three notes climb up the chord in the island rhythm. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 438 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Shy chords
Waits out beat 1, then a chord on 2 and a little double on 3. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 135 BPM
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 – A – D
The last chords are I – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DAD- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
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Questions about Back On The Chain Gang
What chords are in Back On The Chain Gang?
The loop is Bm – F#7 – Bm – F#7 (vi – III7 – vi – III7) in D major, and the song ends on D – A – D.
What key is Back On The Chain Gang in?
D major, at about 135 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Back On The Chain Gang?
Stair steps: broken chord 1-3-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Back On The Chain Gang 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.