Learn to Play The Heart of Life

Photo Credit: phaewilk

The Heart of Life

Words and Music by John Mayer

Copyright © 2006 Sony/ATV Tunes LLC and Specific Harm Music



I'm a fan of John Mayer's music. Although best suited for the guitar, I love hearing my students play some of his songs on the piano. This is a cool selection from Continuum. Play the song moderately, in 2. The song is recorded a half step higher.

Intro C – Am- Em – F – C/E – G 

      C - Am- Em - F - C/E - G

C                         Am
I hate to see you cry
                         Em  F  C G
Laying there in that position

C                          Am
There's things you need to hear
                   Em   F  C/E G
So turn off your tears and listen

G               C             F
Pain throws you heart to the ground
G               C             F
Love turns the whole thing around
G             C         F        C/E
No, it won't all go the way, it should
       F       C/E       G       C
But I know the heart of life is good

C                     Am
You know it's nothing new
                Em  F    C/E  G
Bad news never had good timing
C                        Am
Then the circle of your friends
                 Em F   C/E G
Will defend the silver lining

G                        C                F
Pain throws you heart to the ground
G                     C                  F
Love turns the whole thing around
G                 C             F          C
No, it won't all go the way, it should
         F             C           G       C
But I know the heart of life is good

(Play verse and chorus with no lyrics)

G               C                F
Pain throws you heart to the ground
G               C                F
Love turns the whole thing around
G            C           F       C/E
Fear is a friend who's misunderstood
         F      C/E      F      C/E
But I know the heart of life is good
   G                               
I know it’s good

Here's the chord breakdown to the song.

Intro C – Am- Em – F – C – G – C (played like the first part of the verse)

C/CE I hate to see you 

A/ACE cry lying there in 

E/GBE that 

F/ACF position

C/CE There's things you need to 

A/ACE hear So turn off your 

E/GBE tears 

F/ACF and 

E/GCE lis-

G/GBD ten

                                     
GG/GB Pain 

GG/GC throws 

GG/GD your 

C/GCE heart 

C/GD  to 

C/GC  the 

FF/CFA ground

                    
G/GB Love 

G/GC turns 

G/GD the 

C/GCE whole 

C/GD thing 

C/GC a-

F/CFA round

G/GB No, 

G/GC it 

G/GD won't 

C/GCE all 

C/GD go 

C/GC the 

F/CFA way, 

F/CFA it 

E/EGC should but I 

F/CFA know the 
E/EGC heart of 
G/BD life is 
C/CEG good

                                
C/CE You know it's nothing 

A/ACE new Bad news never 

E/GBE had 

F/ACF good 

E/GCE tim-

G/GBD ing

C/CE But then the circle of your 

A/ACE friends Will defend the 

E/GBE sil-

F/ACF ver 

E/EGC li-

G/GBD ning

                                        
G/GB Pain throws you 

C/GCE heart to the 

F/CFA ground
G/GB Love turns the 

C/GCE whole thing a-

F/CFA round
                
G/GB No, it won't 

C/GCE all go the 

F/CFA way, it 

E/EGC should but I
F/CFA know the 

E/EGC heart of 

G/BD life is 

C/CEG good

(Play verse and chorus with no lyrics)

                                        
G/DGB Pain throws your 

C/EGC heart to the 

FF/ACA ground
G/DGB Love turns the 

C/EGC whole thing 

FF/ACA around

G/DGB Fear is a 

C/GCE friend who's mis-

F/CFA under

E/EGC stood but I
F/CFA know the 

E/EGC heart of 

F/ACE life is 

E/GC good
G/BDA I know it’s good

For other chord charts to John Mayer songs, visit When You're Dreaming with a Broken Heart
Do you have a favorite John Mayer song?

If you enjoy singing and performing and you've been thinking of taking voice lessons, have a look at Vocals from Hear and Play.

*affiliate links in this post*


All the best,







"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life." -- Art Blakey