Super Simple Chords

Piano chords · Slow dance ’50s

How to play It All Fades Away (from The Bridges of Madison County) on piano

By Jason Robert Brown

Tuning the piano…
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Left hand Slow-dance heartbeatThe right hand sings the tuneChords the loop the song repeats most

Play the full song with sheet music

Learn It All Fades Away (from The Bridges of Madison County) in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

  1. 1

    Chords: A7 – D – G – D

    How it goes

    It All Fades Away (from The Bridges of Madison County) sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A7 is A, C#, E and G; D is D, F# and A; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.

    A7V7DIGIVDI
    • A7A · C# · E · G
    • DD · F# · A
    • GG · B · D
    106 songs go round the same chords
  2. 2

    Left hand: Slow-dance heartbeat

    How it goes

    Four slow, deep beats under a swaying fifties ballad. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 134 songs of the library.

  3. 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. 4

    Both hands at 84 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. 5

    Ending: D – G – D

    How it goes

    The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.

    DGD

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Questions about It All Fades Away (from The Bridges of Madison County)

What chords are in It All Fades Away (from The Bridges of Madison County)?

The loop is A7 – D – G – D (V7 – I – IV – I) in D major, and the song ends on D – G – D.

What key is It All Fades Away (from The Bridges of Madison County) in?

D major, at about 84 beats a minute in 12/8.

What does the left hand play in It All Fades Away (from The Bridges of Madison County)?

Slow-dance heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is It All Fades Away (from The Bridges of Madison County) 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.