How To Play These are The Special Times

This picture was taken at a concert of a cover band in France. The photographer used a 50mm 1.8 lens to let as much light in as possible. When wide open you have a small depth of field which causes the background to blur. Please keep France in your prayers... I have been thinking about how much love and support has surrounded them through this very difficult time. With the holidays coming, keep your loved ones so close to your heart.

I remember Celine Dion singing this very popular song, These Are The special Times. It's track #12 on the 1998 album with the same name. The song was written by Diane Warren. It's a beautiful one.

These Are The Special Times

Key: F

Time: 4/4 played slowly

F                                Bb/F

In these moments, moments of our lives

            Gm7
All the world is ours

               C7
And this world is so right

F               Am7                    Dm
You and I sharing this time together

Gm7
Sharing the same dream

Eb                        C7
As time goes by we will find

                         F

These are the special times

                     Bb/F
Times we'll remember

                         Gm7                      F/A
These are the precious times, the tender times

          C
We'll hold in our hearts forever

                        F

These are the sweetest times

                       A7sus
These times together

A7                   Dm        A/C#       Dm/C       Bbm
And through it all, one thing will always be true

        Gm7                           C7                       Eb7
The special times are the times I share with you

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

F                              Bb/F

With each moment, moment passing by

                   Gm7                       C7
We'll make memories that will last all our lives

      F              Am7                          Dm
As you and I travel through time together

Gm7
Living this sweet dream

Eb                     C7
And every day, we can say

Chorus:

                         F

These are the special times
(These are the special times)

                      Bb/F
Times we'll remember
(Times we'll remember)

                        Gm7                       F/A
These are the precious times, the tender times
(The tender tender times)

         C
We'll hold in our hearts forever

                        F

These are the sweetest times
(Hold in our hearts forever)

                      A7sus
These times together
(Ohhh)

A7                   Dm       A/C#        Dm/C        Bbm
And through it all, one thing will always be true
(One thing will always be true, yeah, yeah, yeah)

Gm7                                  C7                        Eb7
The special times are the times I share with you
(I do)

Bridge:

Bb                   F/A

These tender moments

           Gm7               Dm7
When heaven is so close
(Yeah)

Abmaj7             Eb/G                C7
These are the moments that I know

                         F

These are the special times
(These are the special times)

                     Bb/F
Times we'll remember

                        Gm7                       F/A
These are the precious times, the tender times
(The precious times)
(The tender times)

         C
We'll hold in our hearts forever

                       F

These are the sweetest times

                       A7sus
These times together
(Forever)

A7                   Dm         A/C#     Dm/C         Bbm
And through it all, one thing will always be true

        Gm7                          C7
The special times are the times I share

         Am7      
(The special times)

             C/D         Dm
Are the times we share

G7
(The special times)

             C7                         Eb7   F
Are the times I spend with you.

Chord Breakdown

L.H. / R.H.

F = FC/A

Bb/F = FD/BbC

Gm7 = GF/BbF

C7 = CG/BbF

F = FC/ACD

Am7 = AG/AC

Dm = DF/GA

Gm7 = GF/D

Eb = EbBb/GEb

C7 = C/BbF

Chorus:

F = FC/AG

Bb/F = FD/BbG

Gm7 = GF/BbG

F/A = AF/CG

C = C/GE

F = FC/CFA

A7sus = AG/DG

A7 = AG/C#Bb

Dm = DA/FBb

A/C# = C#A/EA

Dm/C = CA/DF

Bbm = BbFBb/DbFG

Gm7 = GF/CF

C7 = CBb/DA

Eb7 = EbBb/DbF

Bridge:

Bb = BbF/D

F/A = AF/CF

Gm7 = GF/BbF

Dm7 = DF/AC

Abmaj7 = AbEb/GC

Eb/G = GEb/BbEb

C7 = CBb/DFG

Chorus:

F = FC/AG

Bb/F = FD/BbG

Gm7 = GF/BbG

F/A = AF/CG

C = C/GE

F = FC/CG

A7sus = AG/DG

A7 = A/C#Bb

Dm = DA/FBb

A/C# = C#A/EA

Dm/C = CA/DF

Bbm = BbFBb/DbFG

Gm7 = GF/CF

C7 = CBb/DA

Am7 = AG/CE

C/D = DC/EG

Dm = D/DF

G7 = GF/D

C7 = CBb/DA

Eb7 = EbBb/DbF

F = FCFGA/CFGA

You might be interested in learning how to sit and play all of your favorite Christmas songs in less than 3 hours without sheet music! Here's how with ChristmasKeys 1

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Happy piano playing!






"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Easy Piano: Jingle Bell Rock

                                                photo credit: christmas bells tockholes 2009 via photopin (license)

Yes, I know it's not Thanksgiving yet... I have tons of songs to share with you this Christmas season. I thought I would start posting them now. My piano students have been preparing a Thanksgiving recital at one of the local skilled nursing facilities in town. They are also starting on Christmas music and this is the #1 choice song with the teenagers. Enjoy!

JINGLE BELL ROCK 


Words and Music by Joe Neal and Jim Boothe



Performed by BOBBY HELMS (1957) 


Key: C Major

Time: 4/4 Moderately  

  
C                     
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
               C#dim      Dm          G7
Jingle bells  swing and jingle bells  ring
Dm          G7          Dm          G7
Snowin' and blowin' up  bushels of  fun
Dm7                 G7(#5)
Now the jingle hop has  begun
C                    
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
             C#dim       Dm         G7
Jingle bells chime in  jingle bell time
Dm          G7           Dm          G7
Dancin' and prancin'  in Jingle Bell Square
D7     G7     C
In the frosty air   
        F                      F#dim
What a bright time, it's the right time
   C
To rock the  night away
       D7
Jingle bell time is a  swell time
G      Dm7         G7
To go glidin' in a one-horse sleigh   
C                
Giddyup jingle horse,  pick up your  feet
         Em7(b5)    A7
Jingle around the  clock
F                    Fm
Mix and a-mingle in a-jinglin'  beat
 D7          G7          C
(That's the jingle  bell rock) 3x


Chord Breakdown  

L.H. / R.H.

C = CEG/C

C#dim = C#EG/EG 

Dm = DFA/A




G7 = GFGB/F




Dm7 = DFAC/A




G7(#5)= FGB/D#A




D7 = DF#AC/A




F#dim = F#AC, EbAC/C




G = GBD/G




Em7(b5) = BbEG/DEG




A7 = A/C#GA




F = FAC/C




Fm = FAbC/AbC




Ending: 




G/FBD#

C/EBbD



Key of D



D             Dmaj7        D
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
D             D#o7       Em7          A7
Jingle bells  swing and jingle bells  ring
Em7          A7          Em7        A7
Snowin' and blowin' up  bushels of  fun
Em7                 A7
Now the jingle hop has  begun
D             Dmaj7        D
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
D             D#o7       Em7         A7
Jingle bells chime in  jingle bell time
Em7          A7           Em7         A7
Dancin' and prancin'  in Jingle Bell Square
Em7     A7     D
In the frosty air   
        G                      G#o7
What a bright time, it's the right time
   D
To rock the  night away
       E
Jingle bell time is a  swell time
A
To go glidin' in a one-horse sleigh   
D        Dmaj7         D
Giddyup jingle horse,  pick up your  feet
D                  B7
Jingle around the  clock
G                    Gm
Mix and a-mingle in a-jinglin'  feet
Em          A7          D
That's the jingle  bell rock   
D             Dmaj7        D
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
D             D#o7     Em7          A7
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell  time
Em7          A7           Em7         A7
Dancin' and prancin'  in Jingle Bell Square
Em7     A7     D
In the frosty air   
        G                      G#o7
What a bright time, it's the right time
   D
To rock the  night away
       E
Jingle bell time is a  swell time
A
To go glidin' in a one-horse sleigh   
D        Dmaj7         D
Giddyup jingle horse,  pick up your  feet
D                  B7
Jingle around the  clock
G                     Gm
Mix and a-mingle in a-jinglin'  feet
Em7         A7
That's the  jingle bell rock
Em7          A7
That's the jingle bell  rock
Em7          A7         D
That's the jingle bell  rock 

Be sure and get Instant Transposer Software in order to play a song in any key!

All the best,    

"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Mailbox Monday: Mandolin Rain Intro

photo credit: Portrait via photopin (license)

Awhile back I wrote a post on the chords to Mandolin Rain by Bruce and John Hornsby. Mencho Calloway has asked for the intro chords. So, here goes and thank you for asking, Mencho!

Mandolin Rain

Key: G

Time: 4/4

Moderately Slow

Intro

G / Am7, G / Em7, D, G / 

Am7, G / Cadd9, G /

Am7, G / Em7, D, G / 

Am7, G / Cadd9, G, D /

Chord Breakdown

G/DGBD = G

A/ACEA = Am7

E/EGBE = Em7

D/DF#AD = D

C/DEAG = Cadd9

First Measure:

G/DGBD, G/EGBE, GBDG

Second Measure:

A/ACEA, GCEG, GBDG, EGBE, DGBD

Third Measure:

E/EGBE, DGBD, EGBE

D/DF#AD

G/EGC, DGB, EGC, DGB

Fourth Measure

A/EGC, DGB, CDG

G/BDG, DG, EA, B/DGB, EA, DG

Fifth Measure

C/EGBE, DGBD

D/EGBE, D/DF#AD

G/EBE, DGBD

D/DGBD, EGBE, GBDG

Sixth Measure

A/ACEA, GCEGB

G/GBDG, G/BDGB, ADA, GBDG, F#DF#

Seventh Measure

E/ EGBE, DGBD

D/EGBD, DF#AD

G/EBE, DGBD

Eighth Measure

A/EACE, DGBD

G/DGBD, EGCE, DGBD, EGCE

D/GBD, AD,GD

Ninth Measure

C/AD, ED, GD

G/DGBD

D/DF#AD

Another favorite Bruce Hornsby song of mine, That's Just The Way It Is, has the chord progression to the song as well.

If you're looking for a resource that will make your fingers fly faster with more practice time, visit Hanon1 Finger Exercises.

All the best,

"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King