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We’re a (Bm)thou sand (F#m)miles from com fort.
We have (Bm)travel led (F#m)land and sea.
But as (Bm)long as (F#)you are with me,
there’s (G)no place I’d (Em7)ra ther be.
(Bm)I would (F#m)wait for ev er,
ex (Bm)ult ed (F#m)in the scene.
As (Bm)long as (F#m)I am with you,
(G)my heart con (Em7)tin ues to beat.
With ev ’ry step we take, Ky o to to the Bay.
(Bm)Stroll ing so ca sual ly.
We’re diff ’rent and the same, get you an oth er name.
(Bm)Switch up the bat ter ies.
(Bm)If you gave me a chance I would (D)take (A)it.
(Bm)It’s a shot in the dark but I’ll (D)make (A)it.
(Bm)Know with all of your heart you can’t (D)shame (A)me.
(Em7)When I am with you there’s (G)no place I’d ra ther be.
N, n, no, no, no.
No place I’d (A#dim7)ra ther be.
N, n, no, no, no.
No place I’d ra ther (A#dim7)be.
N, n, no, no, no.
No place I’d ra ther (A)be.
(Em7)When I am with you there’s (G)no place I’d ra ther be.
This page shows “Rather Be” by Clean Bandit in our color-coded kid songbook view — every note is colored by pitch (red C, orange D, yellow E, green F, blue G, purple A, pink B) and the lyrics sit directly under each note, so children can sing along while they play. The song is in the key of D at 120 BPM, a slightly more challenging arrangement — practice each phrase slowly first.
This arrangement is a great way to build confidence with your left-hand oompah bass pattern — that's a low root note followed by a higher chord chunk, alternating steadily at 120 BPM. It feels like a heartbeat once it clicks, but start hands-separate and slower (around 80 BPM) until the bounce is automatic. Your right hand carries a pretty straightforward melody in D major, so the real challenge is coordination between the two hands. Watch out for the A#dim7 chord — it's the only truly unusual shape in the set and it'll pop up as a passing chord between A and Bm. Finger it slowly a few times in isolation so it doesn't surprise you mid-phrase. The F#m to G to A progression comes back often, so loop that section until the transitions feel smooth under your fingers without looking down. Once your left hand can keep that oompah pulse steady through chord changes, you've built a skill that transfers to dozens of pop songs. This one's worth the patience.