Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Runaway Daydreamer on piano
By Sophie Ellis-Bextor
- C major
- 4/4
- 116 BPM
- I–IV–I–IV loop
- 2014
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Runaway Daydreamer in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – F – C – F
How it goes
Runaway Daydreamer sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIFIVCIFIV- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Sneaky heartbeat
How it goes
One strong note, then two sneaky ones hiding between the beats. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2& · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 436 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Double-skip chords
How it goes
Steady chords with two quick skips, one mid-bar and one at the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 116 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: C – F – C
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CFC
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Questions about Runaway Daydreamer
What chords are in Runaway Daydreamer?
The loop is C – F – C – F (I – IV – I – IV) in C major, and the song ends on C – F – C.
What key is Runaway Daydreamer in?
C major, at about 116 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Runaway Daydreamer?
Sneaky heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2& · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Runaway Daydreamer easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.