Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play (I'm A) Road Runner on piano
By Junior Walker & The All Stars
- F major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- IV–I–I7–IV loop
- 1965
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn (I'm A) Road Runner in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – F – F7 – Bb
How it goes
(I'm A) Road Runner sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C; F7 is F, A, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIVFIF7I7BbIV- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Racing heartbeat
How it goes
One calm beat, then non-stop quick notes racing to the end. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 3 · 3& · 4 · 4& (root bass rhythm), a medium pattern heard in 431 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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- CC · E · G
Play next
Questions about (I'm A) Road Runner
What chords are in (I'm A) Road Runner?
The loop is Bb – F – F7 – Bb (IV – I – I7 – IV) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is (I'm A) Road Runner in?
F major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in (I'm A) Road Runner?
Racing heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 3 · 3& · 4 · 4&, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is (I'm A) Road Runner easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.