Piano chords · Slow dance ’50s
How to play Steal My Joy on piano
Written by Sam Mizell & Matthew West
- A major
- 12/8
- 160 BPM
- 2007
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Steal My Joy in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am – D – F – G
How it goes
Steal My Joy sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; D is D, F# and A; F is F, A and C; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmiDIVFbVIGbVII- AmA · C · E
- DD · F# · A
- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
- 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: Slow-dance chords
How it goes
Four slow chords per bar under a swaying fifties ballad. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: D – E – A
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA- EE · G# · B
- AA · C# · E
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Questions about Steal My Joy
What chords are in Steal My Joy?
The loop is Am – D – F – G (i – IV – bVI – bVII) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is Steal My Joy in?
A major, at about 160 beats a minute in 12/8.
What does the left hand play in Steal My Joy?
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 Steal My Joy 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.