Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Puppet On A String on piano
By Sandie Shaw
- D major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- I–V7–I–V7 loop
- 1967
- Easy
Learn Puppet On A String in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – A7 – D – A7
Puppet On A String sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; A7 is A, C#, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIA7V7DIA7V7- DD · F# · A
- A7A · C# · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Ping-pong bounce
High, low, high, low on every beat: a ping-pong bounce. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 302 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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
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Questions about Puppet On A String
What chords are in Puppet On A String?
The loop is D – A7 – D – A7 (I – V7 – I – V7) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Puppet On A String in?
D major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Puppet On A String?
Ping-pong bounce: broken chord 8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Puppet On A String 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.