Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Show Must Go On on piano
Written by Leo Sayer & David Courtney
- F major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- vi–iii–vi–iii loop
- 1972
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Show Must Go On in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm – Am – Dm – Am
How it goes
Show Must Go On sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dm is D, F and A; Am is A, C and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmviAmiiiDmviAmiii- DmD · F · A
- AmA · C · E
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of 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 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: Bb – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
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Questions about Show Must Go On
What chords are in Show Must Go On?
The loop is Dm – Am – Dm – Am (vi – iii – vi – iii) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Show Must Go On in?
F major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Show Must Go On?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Show Must Go On 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.