Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Tell Heaven on piano
Written by Rosanne Cash & John Leventhal
- A minor
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- 2014
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Tell Heaven in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am – Bm – E – D
How it goes
Tell Heaven sits in A minor: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; Bm is B, D and F#; E is E, G# and B; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmiBmiiEVDIV- AmA · C · E
- BmB · D · F#
- EE · G# · B
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Bluesy shrug
How it goes
A long root, then down and back up to a bluesy note. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5-7 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 73 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: F – G – Am
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGAm- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
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Questions about Tell Heaven
What chords are in Tell Heaven?
The loop is Am – Bm – E – D (i – ii – V – IV) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.
What key is Tell Heaven in?
A minor, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Tell Heaven?
Bluesy shrug: broken chord 8-5-7, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Tell Heaven 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.