Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Return To Sender on piano
- C major
- 4/4
- 130 BPM
- 1962
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Return To Sender in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – G7 – F – G7
How it goes
Return To Sender sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is 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.
FIVG7V7FIVG7V7- FF · A · C
- G7G · B · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Island seesaw
How it goes
Low, high, low in the three-three-two island rhythm. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 723 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
How it goes
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 130 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 – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
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Questions about Return To Sender
What chords are in Return To Sender?
The loop is F – G7 – F – G7 (IV – V7 – IV – V7) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Return To Sender in?
C major, at about 130 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Return To Sender?
Island seesaw: root–fifth 1-5-1, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Return To Sender 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 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.