Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Had To Cry Today on piano
By Eric Clapton
- G minor
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- 1969
- Easy
Learn Had To Cry Today in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Gm – Bb – C
Had To Cry Today sits in G minor: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Gm is G, Bb and D; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIVGmiBbIIICIV- CC · E · G
- GmG · Bb · D
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Double-tap drop
The same note twice, long then short, then a drop to a lower note. Musicians call it broken chord 8-8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 336 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pausing chords
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: Eb – F – Gm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFGm- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
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Questions about Had To Cry Today
What chords are in Had To Cry Today?
The loop is C – Gm – Bb – C (IV – i – bIII5 – IV5) in G minor, and the song ends on Eb – F – Gm.
What key is Had To Cry Today in?
G minor, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Had To Cry Today?
Double-tap drop: broken chord 8-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Had To Cry Today 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.