Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Runaway Train on piano
Written by David Pirner
- C major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- I–vi–V–I loop
- 1992
- Easy
Learn Runaway Train in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Am – G – C
Runaway Train sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Am is A, C and E; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIAmviGVCI- CC · E · G
- AmA · C · E
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Push and land
A push just before beat 3, then two calm landings. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of 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 120 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: Am – G – C
The last chords are vi – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AmGC
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Questions about Runaway Train
What chords are in Runaway Train?
The loop is C – Am – G – C (I – vi – V – I) in C major, and the song ends on Am – G – C.
What key is Runaway Train in?
C major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Runaway Train?
Push and land: root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Runaway Train 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.