How To Play El Shaddai

Cover of Amy Grant

A popular song, El Shaddai was written in 1981 by Michael Card and John Thompson. I've received lots of requests for this song and have fond memories performing this one in church, along with my daughter singing in the band with me on the piano. Play it with much expression, 4/4 time signature, in two and be sure to use the pedal.

Online Piano Chords can be found at http://www.chordie.com

I've added more to the keyboard chord chart below in red.

El Shaddai

Amy Grant

	Dm	G/B
El Shad	dai, El Shad	dai,

	C      C/E	F
El Ely	onna Adona	i,

	Bb	E7/G#
age to a	ge you're still the s	ame,

	Am	G/B	A/C#
by the po	wer o	f the n	ame.

	Dm	G7/B
El Shad	dai, El Shad	dai,

	C     C/E	F
erkamk	ana Adon	ai,

	Bb	Dm7/A	G
we will pr	aise and lift	you hig	h,

	Gsus	C
	El Shadd	ai.

Verse 1:

	Dm	G
Through your l	ove and through the r	am,

G/B	C	F(add9)
you saved the s	on of Abrah	am,

	Bb	E7
through the p	ower of your h	and

	Am	G/B	A/C#
you turned the s	ea in	to dry l	and.

	Dm	G
To the ou	tcast on her kn	ees

	G7/B	C	Cma7	F
you	were the G	od who r	eally se	es,

	Bb	G	C	Csus	C
and	by your might you s	et your children f	ree.

Verse 2:

	Dm	G
Through the y	ears you made it cl	ear

G/B	C	F
that the t	ime of Christ was n	ear,

F/A	Bb	E7
though the p	eople couldn't s	ee

	Am	G/B	A/C#
what Mes	siah o	ught to	be.

	Dm	G
Though your W	ord contained the p	lan,

G/B	C	F   Fmaj7/A
they just co	uld not underst	and,

	Bb	G	Bb/F	G
your most	awesome work was d	one in the f	railty of your S	on

There are tons of arpeggiated chords throughout this song. Here's the chord breakdown, showing you the notes as blocked chords, or solid chords.

Dm = D/DFA

G/B = B/DGB

C = CEG

C/E = E/EGC

F = F/FAC

Bb = Bb/DFBbD

E7/G# = G#D/EB

Am = A/EAC

A/C# = C#A/AE

Dm = DA/AA

G7/B = BG/DGB

Dm7/A = A/DAC

G = GDG/GB

The Intro (one octave higher)

Dm
Dm/C
G/B
C
G/B
F/A
F/E
Bb
F/A
G

Between verse 1 and verse 2 play the following piano chords:

C
Csus
C
Bb
Dm7/A
Gm
Dm/F
E7
E7/D
C
Cmaj7/B
Am
G
F
F/E
Dm
Fmaj7/C
Bm7b5
F/A
E7/G#
E7
Dm/A

Now in the part that goes "in the frailty of your Son", roll this chord:

GDB/BDGB

Outro to El Shaddai (one octave higher)

Dm
G
C
F
Bb
Fmaj7/A
Gm7
F
E7
E+
E
Dm/A
Am (arpeggiate last chord, AA/CEAC)

It's a beautiful song, wouldn't you agree?

You may be interested in the following Gospel classes:

Michael Bereal

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