Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play (They Long To Be) Close To You on piano
By Carpenters
- G major
- 4/4
- 84 BPM
- 1963
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn (They Long To Be) Close To You in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – B7 – Bm – Em
How it goes
(They Long To Be) Close To You sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; B7 is B, D#, F# and A; Bm is B, D and F#; Em is E, G and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIVB7III7BmiiiEmvi- CC · E · G
- B7B · D# · F# · A
- BmB · D · F#
- EmE · G · B
- 2
Left hand: Bossa sway
How it goes
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: a gentle Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 84 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- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
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Questions about (They Long To Be) Close To You
What chords are in (They Long To Be) Close To You?
The loop is C – B7 – Bm – Em (IV – III7 – iii – vi) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is (They Long To Be) Close To You in?
G major, at about 84 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in (They Long To Be) Close To You?
Bossa sway: root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is (They Long To Be) Close To You 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 (They Long To Be) Close To You?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.