Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Broken Lady on piano
Written by Larry Gatlin
- G major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- IV–I–IV–I loop
- 1975
- Easy
Learn Broken Lady in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – G – C – G
Broken Lady sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIVGICIVGI- CC · E · G
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Three-step climb
Root, fifth, octave, then let it ring. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: C – D – G
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Broken Lady
What chords are in Broken Lady?
The loop is C – G – C – G (IV – I – IV – I) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Broken Lady in?
G major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Broken Lady?
Three-step climb: broken chord 1-5-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Broken Lady 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.