Piano chords · Lullaby boat
How to play Baby I’m For Real on piano
Written by Anna Gordy Gaye & Marvin Gaye
- F major
- 6/8
- 75 BPM
- I–ii–V7–I loop
- 1969
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Baby I’m For Real in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Gm – C7 – F
How it goes
Baby I’m For Real sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIGmiiC7V7FI- FF · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 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: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 75 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: Bb – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
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Questions about Baby I’m For Real
What chords are in Baby I’m For Real?
The loop is F – Gm – C7 – F (I – ii – V7 – I) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Baby I’m For Real in?
F major, at about 75 beats a minute in 6/8.
What does the left hand play in Baby I’m For Real?
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 Baby I’m For Real 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.