Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Back In Baby’s Arms on piano
Written by Bob Montgomery
- Ab major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- 1963
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Back In Baby’s Arms in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab – Eb7 – Ab – Fm
How it goes
Back In Baby’s Arms sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Eb7 is Eb, G, Bb and Db; Fm is F, Ab and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbIEb7V7AbIFmvi- AbAb · C · Eb
- Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
- FmF · Ab · C
- 2
Left hand: Double-tap drop
How it goes
The same note twice, long then short, then a drop to a lower note. Musicians call it broken chord 8-8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 336 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Soft chords
How it goes
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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 – Eb – Ab
How it goes
The last chords are I – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbEbAb- EbEb · G · Bb
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Questions about Back In Baby’s Arms
What chords are in Back In Baby’s Arms?
The loop is Ab – Eb7 – Ab – Fm (I – V7 – I – vi) in Ab major, and the song ends on Ab – Eb – Ab.
What key is Back In Baby’s Arms in?
Ab major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Back In Baby’s Arms?
Double-tap drop: broken chord 8-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Back In Baby’s Arms 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.