Piano chords · Film & wonder
How to play Goodbye Yellow Brick Road on piano
By Elton John
- F major
- 4/4
- 88 BPM
- Tricky
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Goodbye Yellow Brick Road in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – A7 – A – Bb – F – C
How it goes
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 6 chords: F is F, A and C; A7 is A, C#, E and G; A is A, C# and E; Bb is Bb, D and F; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIA7III7AIIIBbIVFICV- FF · A · C
- A7A · C# · E · G
- AA · C# · E
- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Rainbow sweep
How it goes
Five notes arc up two octaves like a rainbow, then let it ring. Musicians call it wide arpeggio 1-5-8-10-15 (wide arpeggio), a tricky pattern heard in 78 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Late-knock chords
How it goes
One chord, a long wait, then a quick knock-knock at the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 88 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: Bb – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF
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Questions about Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
What chords are in Goodbye Yellow Brick Road?
The loop is F – A7 – A – Bb – F – C (I – III7 – III – IV – I – V) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Goodbye Yellow Brick Road in?
F major, at about 88 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Goodbye Yellow Brick Road?
Rainbow sweep: wide arpeggio 1-5-8-10-15, a tricky pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Goodbye Yellow Brick Road easy to play on piano?
It is a tricky one: learn the 6 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 4 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.