Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Hey There Delilah on piano
Written by Tom Higgenson
- D major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 2005
- Easy
Learn Hey There Delilah in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – F#m – D – F#m
Hey There Delilah sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; F#m is F#, A and C#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIF#miiiDIF#miii- DD · F# · A
- F#mF# · A · C#
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
Low, high, low, high: a bouncing heartbeat. Musicians call it rocking octaves (rocking octaves), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Bouncy bells
A high bell note, then chords bouncing on every “and”. 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: D – Bm – D
The last chords are I – vi – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DBmD- BmB · D · F#
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Questions about Hey There Delilah
What chords are in Hey There Delilah?
The loop is D – F#m – D – F#m (I – iii – I – iii) in D major, and the song ends on D – Bm – D.
What key is Hey There Delilah in?
D major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Hey There Delilah?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Hey There Delilah 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Hey There Delilah?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the opening of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.