Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight on piano
Written by Richard Thompson
- C major
- 4/4
- 132 BPM
- IV–I–IV–I loop
- 1979
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – C – F – C
How it goes
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIVCIFIVCI- FF · A · C
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Bossa sway
How it goes
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: a gentle Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
How it goes
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 132 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: C – Dm – C
How it goes
The last chords are I – ii – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDmC- DmD · F · A
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Questions about I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
What chords are in I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight?
The loop is F – C – F – C (IV – I – IV – I) in C major, and the song ends on C – Dm – C.
What key is I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight in?
C major, at about 132 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight?
Bossa sway: root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight 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.