Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Stranger In Paradise on piano
By Robert Wright
- G major
- 4/4
- 110 BPM
- 1953
- Easy
Learn Stranger In Paradise in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Am – Cm – D7
Stranger In Paradise sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Am is A, C and E; Cm is C, Eb and G; D7 is D, F#, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIVAmiiCmivD7V7- CC · E · G
- AmA · C · E
- CmC · Eb · G
- D7D · F# · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah
A bass note, then three soft chords: oom, pah, pah, pah. Musicians call it bass + chords (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 110 BPM
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
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
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Questions about Stranger In Paradise
What chords are in Stranger In Paradise?
The loop is C – Am – Cm – D7 (IV – ii – iv – V7) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Stranger In Paradise in?
G major, at about 110 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Stranger In Paradise?
Oom-pah: bass + chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Stranger In Paradise 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.