Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Bad Jokes on piano
Written by Garrison Keillor
- D major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- 2000
- Easy
Learn Bad Jokes in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – G – Bb7 – A7
Bad Jokes sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; G is G, B and D; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; A7 is A, C#, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIGIVBb7bVI7A7V7- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- A7A · C# · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Boom-chick
Bass, chord, bass, chord: the bounce of ragtime and country. Musicians call it boom-chick (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 762 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
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 120 BPM
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: G – A – D
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- AA · C# · E
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Questions about Bad Jokes
What chords are in Bad Jokes?
The loop is D – G – Bb7 – A7 (I – IV – bVI7 – V7) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Bad Jokes in?
D major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Bad Jokes?
Boom-chick: boom-chick, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Bad Jokes 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.