Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries on piano
By Lew Brown
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1931
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb7 – Eb – Bbm – C7
How it goes
Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Bbm is Bb, Db and F; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bb7V7EbIBbmvC7VI7- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- BbmBb · Db · F
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Froggy bounce
How it goes
Fifth, high root, low root, high root: a jolly hopping country bass. Musicians call it broken chord 5-8-1-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 133 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 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: Fm – Bb7 – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FmBb7Eb- FmF · Ab · C
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Questions about Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries
What chords are in Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries?
The loop is Bb7 – Eb – Bbm – C7 (V7 – I – v – VI7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Fm – Bb7 – Eb.
What key is Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries in?
Eb major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries?
Froggy bounce: broken chord 5-8-1-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries 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.