Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play They’re Playing My Song on piano
By Carole Bayer Sager
- C major
- 4/4
- 140 BPM
- vi–II7–V7–I loop
- 1979
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn They’re Playing My Song in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am – D7 – G7 – C
How it goes
They’re Playing My Song sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; D7 is D, F#, A and C; G7 is G, B, D and F; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmviD7II7G7V7CI- AmA · C · E
- D7D · F# · A · C
- G7G · B · D · F
- CC · E · G
- 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: Run-up chords
How it goes
Four steady chords plus a quick extra one leading into the next bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 140 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: Dm – G7 – C
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DmG7C- DmD · F · A
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Questions about They’re Playing My Song
What chords are in They’re Playing My Song?
The loop is Am – D7 – G7 – C (vi – II7 – V7 – I) in C major, and the song ends on Dm – G7 – C.
What key is They’re Playing My Song in?
C major, at about 140 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in They’re Playing My Song?
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’re Playing My Song 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.