Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie on piano
By Edwin H. Chapin
- F major
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- I–ii–V7–I loop
- 1996
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Gm – C7 – F
How it goes
Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIGmiiC7V7FI- FF · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Happy wiggle
How it goes
Root, fifth, a step up and back: a cheerful bluesy wiggle. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-6-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 165 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 90 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: Gm – C7 – F
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GmC7F
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Questions about Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie
What chords are in Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie?
The loop is F – Gm – C7 – F (I – ii – V7 – I) in F major, and the song ends on Gm – C7 – F.
What key is Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie in?
F major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie?
Happy wiggle: broken chord 1-5-6-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie 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.