Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Someday We’ll All Be Free on piano
Written by Donny Hathaway & Edward Howard
- G major
- 4/4
- 65 BPM
- I–IV–I–vi loop
- 1972
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Someday We’ll All Be Free in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – C – G – Em
How it goes
Someday We’ll All Be Free sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; C is C, E and G; Em is E, G and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GICIVGIEmvi- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
- EmE · G · B
- 2
Left hand: Hop-back bounce
How it goes
High, low, then back up to stay: a simple, sturdy bounce. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5-8-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 171 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Gospel-clap chords
How it goes
Skips beat 1, then soulful chords that bounce off the “ands”. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 65 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 – D – G
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Someday We’ll All Be Free
What chords are in Someday We’ll All Be Free?
The loop is G – C – G – Em (I – IV – I – vi) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Someday We’ll All Be Free in?
G major, at about 65 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Someday We’ll All Be Free?
Hop-back bounce: broken chord 8-5-8-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Someday We’ll All Be Free 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.