Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play The Day You Went Away on piano
By Wendy Matthews
- E major
- 4/4
- 104 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn The Day You Went Away in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – B – C#m – Am
How it goes
The Day You Went Away sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; B is B, D# and F#; C#m is C#, E and G#; Am is A, C and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GbIIIBVC#mviAmiv- GG · B · D
- BB · D# · F#
- C#mC# · E · G#
- AmA · C · E
- 2
Left hand: Three-step climb
How it goes
Root, fifth, octave, then let it ring. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Soft chords
How it goes
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 104 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: A – B – E
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE- AA · C# · E
- EE · G# · B
Play next
Questions about The Day You Went Away
What chords are in The Day You Went Away?
The loop is G – B – C#m – Am (bIII – V – vi – iv) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is The Day You Went Away in?
E major, at about 104 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Day You Went Away?
Three-step climb: broken chord 1-5-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Day You Went Away 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.