Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go on piano
- C major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- 1984
- Easy
Learn Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – C – Dm – C
Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CICIDmiiCI- CC · E · G
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
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.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
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 160 BPM
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: F – G – C
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
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Questions about Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
What chords are in Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go?
The loop is C – C – Dm – C (I – ii – I – ii) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go in?
C major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go?
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 Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go 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 Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go?
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.