Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play The End Of The World on piano

By Skeeter Davis

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn The End Of The World in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Bb – F – Gm – Dm
How it goes
The End Of The World sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIFVGmviDmiii
- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- DmD · F · A
28 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Pop heartbeatRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Pausing chords
How it goes
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Pausing chordsBlock chords · ClassicalRight handEasy
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: Eb – F7 – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbF7Bb
- EbEb · G · Bb
- F7F · A · C · Eb

What chords are in The End Of The World?

The loop is Bb – F – Gm – Dm (I – V – vi – iii) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F7 – Bb.

What key is The End Of The World in?

Bb major, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in The End Of The World?

Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is The End Of The World 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.

Can I hear the real melody of The End Of The World?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.

Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.