Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Rainbows All Over Your Blues on piano
Written by John Sebastian
- F major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- 1970
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Rainbows All Over Your Blues in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G7 – C7 – F – F7
How it goes
Rainbows All Over Your Blues sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G7 is G, B, D and F; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F is F, A and C; F7 is F, A, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
G7II7C7V7FIF7I7- G7G · B · D · F
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Bossa seesaw
How it goes
Low-low, high-high in a laid-back Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-1-5-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 428 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
How it goes
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: F – C7 – F
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FC7F
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Questions about Rainbows All Over Your Blues
What chords are in Rainbows All Over Your Blues?
The loop is G7 – C7 – F – F7 (II7 – V7 – I – I7) in F major, and the song ends on F – C7 – F.
What key is Rainbows All Over Your Blues in?
F major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Rainbows All Over Your Blues?
Bossa seesaw: root–fifth 1-1-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Rainbows All Over Your Blues 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.