Chords: Forever Young-Rod Stewart

Cover of Voice: Very Best of Rod Stewart
I have a birthday coming up pretty soon and I love the lyrics to the song Forever Young from the 1988 album, The Very Best of Rod Stewart by Rod Stewart. It's a simple rock song to play.

If you have the time, listen to the piano player and his style of the song. I think it's a pretty good example of improv. I think I mentioned earlier that you can change the melody around by:

1. playing an octave higher
2. changing rhythm and adding more notes per measure
3. sliding off a note half or whole step higher or lower
4. adding octaves in l.h. for fuller sound
5. bass walk ups/walk downs in l.h.
6. add those suspended chords for those boring measures to add tension
7. play with different inversions

Rod Stewart - Forever Young (piano)

Credit: rodstewartfan13

So in the key of D, the same sequence would look like: D-Em-F#m-G-A-Bm-C#dim. Notice that there are two chords in the key of D that are “sharp.” This is how you can determine that a song is in the key of D: there will be two “sharps” in the “key signature” at the very front of each staff, like this:

INTRO: (Repeat once)
  D        D2 D G
  G Em7 G
  G Em7 D

May the good life be with you down every road you roam,
D          G     D D D D2 D G

And may sunshine and happiness surround you when you're far from home.
D             G       D D D D2 D G
May you grow to be proud, dignified, and true,
D     G         D D D D2 D G

And do unto others as you'd have done to you.
D        G          D D D D2 D G

Be courageous and be brave,
C                    G

And in my heart you'll always stay
C                             G

Forever young  (Forever young)
        D  G

Forever young  (Forever young)
        D  G


May good fortune be with you and may your guiding light be strong,
D       G                    D D D D2 D G

Build a stairway to heaven with a prince or a vagabond
D      G    D D D D2 D G

And may you never love in vain,
C                         G

And in my heart you will remain
C                        G

Forever young  (Forever young)
        D  G

Forever young  (Forever young)
        D  G

Forev--er young                               Forev--er young
G  Em7 C  D      D D D D D D2 D2 G G  D D D D D D2 D2 G G  G  Em7 G  D


When you finally fly away I'll be hoping that I served you well,
D      G                    D D D D2 D G

For all the wisdom of a lifetime no one can ever tell,
D     G             D D D D2 D G

But whatever road you choose,
C                     G

I'm right behind you win or lose.
C                    G

Forever young  (Forever young)
        D  G

Forever young  (Forever young)
        D  G

Forev--er young  For, for--ever  young  Forever  young
G  Em7 C  D      G    G      Em7 D      G    Em7 D


D D  Dsus4 D D2 D D

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

How To Play Color Chords

To get a really full sound in your right hand, try putting in not only the notes of the chord under the melody, but also try to incorporate a color tone of some kind, such as a 6th, 7th, major 7th, or 9th. You can overdo it, of course, but this short video demonstrates how it is done.

Use thirds, sixths and full chords to your melody. Major 7th and  Major 9th's are called color chords, adding motion to your sound. This is one of the best instructional videos I have found online by Duane.


Piano Lesson on YouTube

To identify interval sounds in a song, I think I have found another great tool 
for you, Interval Song Examples Chart

Here's an example of descending Major 6th in the left hand. 

Intro Chords:  E  E   E   E

Verse 1
A                      D
Where it began I can’t begin to know it
A                                  E
But then I know it’s going strong
A                       D
Was in the spring, and spring became a summer
A                                               E
Who’d have believe you’d come along

Chorus
A         Amaj7
Hands         touching hands
E                       D                           E
Reaching out touching me  touching you

A               D                                E
Sweet Caroline  Good times never seemed so good
A            D                                  E
Im inclined to believe there never would
D   C#m  Bm
But now I’m

Verse 2
Look at the night and it don’t seem so lonely
We fill it up with only two
And when I hurt Hurting runs off my shoulder
How can I hurt when holding you

Warm touching warm
Reachin out touching me touching you

Chorus
A         Amaj7
Hands         touching hands
E                       D                           E
Reaching out touching me  touching you

A               D                                               E
Sweet Caroline  Good times never seemed so good
A            D                                  E
Im inclined to believe there never would
D   C#m  Bm
Oh no no

Intro Chords

Chorus

Understanding the Power of Intervals in Jazz Music

By now, you probably already know what whole 

and half steps are.

To review:

Half Step (h) - From key to key (no keys in between).

Whole step (w) - Every other key (one key in between).

Here are some things to keep in mind:

2 Half Steps = 1 Whole step

2 Whole Steps = 4 Half Steps

1 Half Step = 1/2 Whole Step

Examples:

C to E = 2 whole steps or 4 half steps

F to F# = 1 half step

G to C = 5 half steps

Intervals 

Intervals are important. They form major, minor and 

other types of chords. Do you know what an interval is?

An interval in music, is the distance in pitch between 

two notes. (major, perfect, melodic, harmonic, minor, 

augmented, diminished, etc.)

Major Third:

Is the distance between the root and the (3) degree 

of a major scale.

For example, in C Major, the root is (C) and the (3) 

degree is E.

C and E played together is classified as a major third.

This is the beginning of a major chord.

Perfect Fifth:

Is the distance between the root and the (5) degree of 

a major scale.

For example, in C Major, the root is (C) and the 5th 

degree is (G).

C and G played together is classified as a 

'perfect fifth'.

As you will learn, these two intervals combine to make 

up the major chord.

Try to figure out the major third and perfect fifth 

intervals in all 12 keys.

If you want to learn more on intervals, order Jermaine Grigg's 

300 Page Course Book

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

Related articles

• Monday Music Quote: Dave Brubeck (pianodiana.blogspot.com)
• I Know You Know by Esperanza Spalding (pianodiana.blogspot.com)
• The Minor Ninth Chord in Db (pianodiana.blogspot.com)

Do You Recognize The 7 Chords in This Song?

What is the one thing Tom Petty and Taylor Swift have in common besides they both play the guitar?


Well, here's the same song, American Girl, with words and music by Tom Petty in 1976 and later performed by Taylor Swift in 2009. 

Do you hear the 7 chords in this song?

1. D = D/DF#A

2. E7 = E/DEG#B


3. G = G/GBD, then G7 = G/BDFG


4. A7 = A/GAC#E


5. Em = E/EGB


6. A = A/C#EA , then Asus4 = A/EAD


7. Bm = B/BDF#

Taylor Swift - American Girl (Tom Petty cover) New single 2009

Watch the best YouTube version Tom Petty American Girl Live 1985

American Girl

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

	D
Intro:  manic strumming on

	D/F#	D/E	D	D/E
then	-	-	-	(2x)

	D	E
	Well she was an	American girl

	G	A
	Raised on	promises

	D	E
	She couldn't help	thinking that there was

	G	A
A	little more to life	somewhere else

	D
After all it was a	great big world

	G	Em
	With lots of places to	run to

	A
	Yes and if she had to die trying she'd

that's one real promise she was gonna keep

	G	A
	Oh yeah,	allright

	D	Bm
	Take it easy baby,	make it last all night

	G	A	D
	She was,	an American	girl

	D	E
	Well it was kinda	cold that night

	G	A
	She stood alone on her	balcony

	D	E
	She could hear the	cars roll by

	G	A
Out on	441 like	waves crashing on the beach

	D
And for one desperate	moment baby

	G	Em
	He crept back in her	memory

	A
	God it's so painful when something is so close

But still so hard to reach

	G	A
	Oh yeah,	alright

	D	Bm
	Take it easy baby,	make it last all night

	G	A	D
	She was,	an American	girl

RIFF NOTES G G G G G# A D 3X THEN G G G A A A

Young people and mostly my piano students have requested this song, so thank you

!

 Have fun with it in 4/4 time.

Do you know your chords? You might want to check out Chords101 & 102 Collection

Best,
LadyD

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