Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Someone Saved My Life Tonight on piano
By Elton John
- G major
- 4/4
- 68 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Someone Saved My Life Tonight in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – C – G – C
How it goes
Someone Saved My Life Tonight 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. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GICIVGICIV- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Bossa sway
How it goes
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: a gentle Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 68 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: G – C – G
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GCG
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Questions about Someone Saved My Life Tonight
What chords are in Someone Saved My Life Tonight?
The loop is G – C – G – C (I – IV – I – IV) in G major, and the song ends on G – C – G.
What key is Someone Saved My Life Tonight in?
G major, at about 68 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Someone Saved My Life Tonight?
Bossa sway: root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Someone Saved My Life Tonight 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 Someone Saved My Life Tonight?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro 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.