Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Lively Up Yourself on piano
By Bob Marley
- D major
- 4/4
- 140 BPM
- I7–IV7–I7–IV7 loop
- Easy
Learn Lively Up Yourself in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D7 – G7 – D7 – G7
Lively Up Yourself sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D7 is D, F#, A and C; G7 is G, B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
D7I7G7IV7D7I7G7IV7- D7D · F# · A · C
- G7G · B · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Double-clap chords
Quick double claps on beats 2 and 4, leaving beats 1 and 3 empty. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 140 BPM
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: G – A – D
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Lively Up Yourself
What chords are in Lively Up Yourself?
The loop is D7 – G7 – D7 – G7 (I7 – IV7 – I7 – IV7) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Lively Up Yourself in?
D major, at about 140 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Lively Up Yourself?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Lively Up Yourself 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.