Piano chords · Slow dance ’50s
How to play She’s Always A Woman on piano
By Billy Joel
- Eb major
- 3/8
- 90 BPM
- 1977
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn She’s Always A Woman in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Ebsus4 – Eb – Bb
How it goes
She’s Always A Woman sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Ebsus4 is Eb, Ab and Bb; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIEbsus4Isus4EbIBbV- EbEb · G · Bb
- Ebsus4Eb · Ab · Bb
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Slow-dance heartbeat
How it goes
Four slow, deep beats under a swaying fifties ballad. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 134 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 90 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: Eb – Ebsus4 – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are I – Isus – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbEbsus4Eb
Play next
Questions about She’s Always A Woman
What chords are in She’s Always A Woman?
The loop is Eb – Ebsus4 – Eb – Bb (I – Isus4 – I – V) in Eb major, and the song ends on Eb – Ebsus4 – Eb.
What key is She’s Always A Woman in?
Eb major, at about 90 beats a minute in 3/8.
What does the left hand play in She’s Always A Woman?
Slow-dance heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is She’s Always A Woman 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.
Can I hear the real melody of She’s Always A Woman?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the repeating figure of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 5 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.