Piano chords · Lullaby boat
How to play All I Could Do Was Cry on piano
Written by Gwen Gordy Fuqua, Berry Gordy & others
- Ab major
- 6/8
- 87 BPM
- I–vi–ii–V7 loop
- 1959
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn All I Could Do Was Cry in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab – Fm – Bbm – Eb7
How it goes
All I Could Do Was Cry sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Fm is F, Ab and C; Bbm is Bb, Db and F; Eb7 is Eb, G, Bb and Db. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbIFmviBbmiiEb7V7- AbAb · C · Eb
- FmF · Ab · C
- BbmBb · Db · F
- Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
- 2
Left hand: Cradle pulse
How it goes
A deep note, a rock to beat two, a soft pickup back: like a cradle. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 2.3 (6/8) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 160 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Cradle chords
How it goes
A chord, a rock to beat two, a soft pickup back: like a cradle. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 87 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: Db – Eb7 – Ab
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEb7Ab- DbDb · F · Ab
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Questions about All I Could Do Was Cry
What chords are in All I Could Do Was Cry?
The loop is Ab – Fm – Bbm – Eb7 (I – vi – ii – V7) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb7 – Ab.
What key is All I Could Do Was Cry in?
Ab major, at about 87 beats a minute in 6/8.
What does the left hand play in All I Could Do Was Cry?
Cradle pulse: root bass · 1 · 2 · 2.3 (6/8), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is All I Could Do Was Cry 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.