Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play A Cock-Eyed Optimist on piano
- C minor
- 4/4
- 80 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn A Cock-Eyed Optimist in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Cm – Dsus4 – G – Cm
How it goes
A Cock-Eyed Optimist sits in C minor: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Cm is C, Eb and G; Dsus4 is D, G and A; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CmiDsus4IIsus4GVCmi- CmC · Eb · G
- Dsus4D · G · A
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Seesaw bass
How it goes
Low, higher, low, higher on every beat: a steady seesaw. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 481 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 80 BPM
How it goes
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
- 5
Ending: Ab – Bb – Cm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbCm- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
Play next
Questions about A Cock-Eyed Optimist
What chords are in A Cock-Eyed Optimist?
The loop is Cm – Dsus4 – G – Cm (i – IIsus – V – i) in C minor, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Cm.
What key is A Cock-Eyed Optimist in?
C minor, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in A Cock-Eyed Optimist?
Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is A Cock-Eyed Optimist easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.