Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play I’m A Long Way From Home on piano
Written by Hank Cochran
- D major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- IV–V–IV–V loop
- 1964
- Easy
Learn I’m A Long Way From Home in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – A – G – A
I’m A Long Way From Home sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; A is A, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIVAVGIVAV- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
- 2
Left hand: Yo-yo bounce
A long high root, a dip down, and back up like a yo-yo. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 629 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. 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: G – A – D
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- DD · F# · A
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Questions about I’m A Long Way From Home
What chords are in I’m A Long Way From Home?
The loop is G – A – G – A (IV – V – IV – V) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is I’m A Long Way From Home in?
D major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I’m A Long Way From Home?
Yo-yo bounce: broken chord 8-5-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I’m A Long Way From Home 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.