Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play When Christmas Comes To Town on piano
By Glen Ballard
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 80 BPM
- I–Isus–I–Isus loop
- 2004
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn When Christmas Comes To Town in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Ebsus4 – Eb – Ebsus4
How it goes
When Christmas Comes To Town sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Ebsus4 is Eb, Ab and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIEbsus4Isus4EbIEbsus4Isus4- EbEb · G · Bb
- Ebsus4Eb · Ab · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Gentle rocking
How it goes
Root, fifth, octave, fifth: the gentle rocking under countless pop ballads. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 696 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 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 – Ebsus4 – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are I – Isus – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbEbsus4Eb
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Questions about When Christmas Comes To Town
What chords are in When Christmas Comes To Town?
The loop is Eb – Ebsus4 – Eb – Ebsus4 (I – Isus – I – Isus) in Eb major, and the song ends on Eb – Ebsus4 – Eb.
What key is When Christmas Comes To Town in?
Eb major, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in When Christmas Comes To Town?
Gentle rocking: broken chord 1-5-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is When Christmas Comes To Town 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.