Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
Big Bad John: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Jimmy Dean
- C major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- bVII–I–bVII–I loop
- 1961
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Big Bad John written out as piano music: the bVII – I – bVII – I loop in C major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays island zigzag (broken chord 8-12-5), and the right hand sings the tune.
Big Bad John chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in C major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bb | bVII | Bb D F |
| 2 | C | I | C E G |
| 3 | Bb | bVII | Bb D F |
| 4 | C | I | C E G |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: island zigzag (broken chord 8-12-5) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the Bb – C – Bb – C chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
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Questions about Big Bad John
Does the sheet music for Big Bad John have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Big Bad John?
The loop is Bb – C – Bb – C (bVII – I – bVII – I) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Big Bad John in?
C major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Big Bad John?
Island zigzag: broken chord 8-12-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Big Bad John 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.