Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Mercy on piano
Written by Melissa Etheridge & Jonathan Taylor
- A major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- 2004
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Mercy in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Asus4 – D – Esus4 – Asus4
How it goes
Mercy sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Asus4 is A, D and E; D is D, F# and A; Esus4 is E, A and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Asus4Isus4DIVEsus4Vsus4Asus4Isus4- Asus4A · D · E
- DD · F# · A
- Esus4E · A · B
- 2
Left hand: Walking roots
How it goes
One low note on every beat, steady as walking feet. Musicians call it root bass · quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Skipping-stone chords
How it goes
One chord, then two bounces on the “ands”, like a stone on water. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: D – E – A
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA- EE · G# · B
- AA · C# · E
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Questions about Mercy
What chords are in Mercy?
The loop is Asus4 – D – Esus4 – Asus4 (Isus – IV – Vsus – Isus) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is Mercy in?
A major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Mercy?
Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Mercy 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.