The Beatles - A Day In The Life
Hello! Below you'll find my "A Day In The Life" chords & lyrics chart as well as a tutorial video on how to play the piano accompaniment.
This is one of my very favorite songs by The Beatles. It takes you on quite a journey. There are a lot of instruments on the recording, but it translates well to a solo piano arrangement - I even included some of Paul's amazing bass melodies for the left hand to play, but that's optional :)
Enjoy!
A Day In The Life Piano Tutorial
Here's a piano tutorial video for A Day In The Life:
A Day In The Life Chords & Lyrics
[Intro]
| G Bm | Em Em7 | C(maj7) | C(maj7)* |
| G Bm | Em Em7 | C(maj7) | C(maj7)* |
[Verse 1]
G Bm/F# Em7 Em7/D
I read the news today oh boy
C Em/B Asus2
About a lucky man who made the grade
G Bm Em7 Em7/D
And though the news was rather sad
C F Em Em/D
Well I just had to laugh
C F Em C
I saw the photograph
G Bm/F# Em7 Em7/D
He blew his mind out in a car
C Em/B Asus2
He didn't notice that the lights had changed
G Bm Em7 Em7/D
A crowd of people stood and stared
C F
They'd seen his face before
Em Em/D
Nobody was really sure if he was from the
C*
House of Lords
[Verse 2]
G Bm/F# Em7 Em7/D
I saw a film today oh boy
C Em/B Asus2
The English Army had just won the war
G Bm/F# Em7 Em7/D
A crowd of people turned away
C F
But I just had to look
Em Em/D C
Having read the book....
C Em/F# Em/G Em/A
I'd love to turn.... you.... on....
Em/B Em/C Em/D Em/D# E.....etc.
[Bridge]
E
E
Woke up, fell out of bed
Woke up, fell out of bed
Dsus2
Dragged a comb across my head
E B9sus4
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup
E B9sus4 B
And looking up, I noticed I was late
E
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
E B9sus4
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup
E B9sus4 B
And looking up, I noticed I was late
E
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Dsus2
Made the bus in seconds flat
E B9sus4
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke
E B9sus4
And somebody spoke and I went into a dream
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke
E B9sus4
And somebody spoke and I went into a dream
[Interlude]
| C | G | D | A | E | C | G | D | A | E* |
Ahhh....
[Verse 3]
G Bm/F# Em7 Em7/D
I read the news today oh boy
C Em/B Asus2
Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
G Bm/F# Em7 Em7/D
And though the holes were rather small
C F
They had to count them all
Em Em/D
Now they know how many holes it takes
C*
To fill the Albert Hall
C Em/F# Em/G Em/A
I'd love to turn... you... on...
C Em/F# Em/G Em/A
I'd love to turn... you... on...
Em/B Em/C Em/D Em/D# E.....etc.
This document is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
This chord chart is here only to support online learning. We recommend buying official transcripts from a licensed and reputable publisher.
A Day In The Life Piano Tips
1. Take It Slow: It's counterintuitive, but the quickest way to get comfortable and sound great playing a song is to practice it very slowly at first. Steady rhythm and counting are crucial to sounding like a pro, so let yourself get used to feeling the beat at a slow, easy tempo. Once you can nail "A Day In The Life" slowly, *gradually* speed it up. You'll sound much better than if you jumped in at full speed!
2. Use The Pedal Wisely: Utilize the sustain pedal to connect the chords smoothly, timing your lifts with the arrival of a new chord. For help with sustain pedal timing, check out this video.
3. Simplify if need be: "A Day In The Life" still sounds great even if you simply hold out the chords and ignore most of the rhythm patterns and extra details in the tutorial video. Feel free to keep it simple, especially if you sing while playing. As you get comfortable, you can always add the fancy stuff later.
