Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play The Living Years on piano
Written by Mike Rutherford & B.A. Robertson
- Ab major
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- IV–V–I–IV loop
- 1988
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn The Living Years in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Db – Eb – Ab – Db
How it goes
The Living Years sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Db is Db, F and Ab; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DbIVEbVAbIDbIV- DbDb · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Leapfrog pulse
How it goes
One long note, then a quick hop that leaps right into beat 3. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2a · 3 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 153 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 90 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: Ab – Db – Ab
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbDbAb
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Questions about The Living Years
What chords are in The Living Years?
The loop is Db – Eb – Ab – Db (IV – V – I – IV) in Ab major, and the song ends on Ab – Db – Ab.
What key is The Living Years in?
Ab major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Living Years?
Leapfrog pulse: root bass · 1 · 2a · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Living Years 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.