Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Mercy Came Running on piano
Written by Dan Dean, Dave Clark & others
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- 1995
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Mercy Came Running in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Fsus4 – F – Fsus4
How it goes
Mercy Came Running sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Fsus4 is F, Bb and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FVFsus4Vsus4FVFsus4Vsus4- FF · A · C
- Fsus4F · Bb · C
- 2
Left hand: Hurry-and-wait pulse
How it goes
Three quick notes rush out early, then the bass waits for the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 336 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 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: Cm – Eb – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are ii – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CmEbBb- CmC · Eb · G
- EbEb · G · Bb
- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about Mercy Came Running
What chords are in Mercy Came Running?
The loop is F – Fsus4 – F – Fsus4 (V – Vsus – V – Vsus) in Bb major, and the song ends on Cm – Eb – Bb.
What key is Mercy Came Running in?
Bb major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Mercy Came Running?
Hurry-and-wait pulse: root bass · 1 · 1a · 2&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Mercy Came Running 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.