Piano chords · Slow dance ’50s
How to play That’s Life on piano
Artist unknown
- G major
- 12/8
- 80 BPM
- 1964
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn That’s Life in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – B7 – Em – A7
How it goes
That’s Life sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; B7 is B, D#, F# and A; Em is E, G and B; A7 is A, C#, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIB7III7EmviA7II7- GG · B · D
- B7B · D# · F# · A
- EmE · G · B
- A7A · C# · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Jukebox leaps
How it goes
Bass, chord, bass, chord in a slow, swaying 1950s groove. Musicians call it stride (12/8) (stride & boom-chick), a medium pattern heard in 22 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 80 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- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
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Questions about That’s Life
What chords are in That’s Life?
The loop is G – B7 – Em – A7 (I – III7 – vi – II7) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is That’s Life in?
G major, at about 80 beats a minute in 12/8.
What does the left hand play in That’s Life?
Jukebox leaps: stride (12/8), a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is That’s Life easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.