Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Live To Tell on piano
By Madonna
- D minor
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- 1986
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Live To Tell in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Dm – C – F
How it goes
Live To Tell sits in D minor: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Dm is D, F and A; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CVIIDmiCVIIFIII- CC · E · G
- DmD · F · A
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Bossa sway
How it goes
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: a gentle Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of 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 90 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 – Dm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCDm- BbBb · D · F
Play next
Questions about Live To Tell
What chords are in Live To Tell?
The loop is C – Dm – C – F (bVII – i – bVII – bIII) in D minor, and the song ends on Bb – C – Dm.
What key is Live To Tell in?
D minor, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Live To Tell?
Bossa sway: root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Live To Tell 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.