Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play (I've Had) The Time Of My Life on piano

By Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn (I've Had) The Time Of My Life in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: C#m7 – D – D – E
How it goes
(I've Had) The Time Of My Life sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C#m7 is C#, E, G# and B; D is D, F# and A; E is E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C#m7vi7DbVIIDbVIIEI
- C#m7C# · E · G# · B
- DD · F# · A
- EE · G# · B
2
Left hand: Push and land
How it goes
A push just before beat 3, then two calm landings. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Push and landRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Soft chords
How it goes
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Soft chordsBlock chords · BalladRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 112 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: F#m – A – E
How it goes
The last chords are ii – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
F#mAE
- F#mF# · A · C#
- AA · C# · E

What chords are in (I've Had) The Time Of My Life?

The loop is C#m7 – D – D – E (vi7 – bVII – I – vi7) in E major, and the song ends on F#m – A – E.

What key is (I've Had) The Time Of My Life in?

E major, at about 112 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in (I've Had) The Time Of My Life?

Push and land: root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is (I've Had) The Time Of My Life 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.

Can I hear the real melody of (I've Had) The Time Of My Life?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.

Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.