Piano chords · Lullaby boat
It’s A Hard Life Wherever You Go: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by Nanci Griffith
- C major
- 6/8
- 98 BPM
- IV–I–V–IV loop
- 1989
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
It’s A Hard Life Wherever You Go written out as piano music: the IV – I – V – IV loop in C major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays swelling 6/8 (open arpeggio 1-5-8-10-8-5 (6/8)), and the right hand sings the tune.
It’s A Hard Life Wherever You Go chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in C major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F | IV | F A C |
| 2 | C | I | C E G |
| 3 | G | V | G B D |
| 4 | F | IV | F A C |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: swelling 6/8 (open arpeggio 1-5-8-10-8-5 (6/8)) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the F – C – G – F chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
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Questions about It’s A Hard Life Wherever You Go
Does the sheet music for It’s A Hard Life Wherever You Go have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in It’s A Hard Life Wherever You Go?
The loop is F – C – G – F (IV – I – V – IV) in C major, and the song ends on G – F – C.
What key is It’s A Hard Life Wherever You Go in?
C major, at about 98 beats a minute in 6/8.
What does the left hand play in It’s A Hard Life Wherever You Go?
Swelling 6/8: open arpeggio 1-5-8-10-8-5 (6/8), a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is It’s A Hard Life Wherever You Go 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.