Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Bread And Butter on piano
Written by Larry Parks & Jay Turnbow
- C major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- I–IV–I–IV loop
- 1964
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Bread And Butter in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – F – C – F
How it goes
Bread And Butter sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIFIVCIFIV- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Tumble down
How it goes
Three notes falling down the chord, one per beat, then a rest. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5-1 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 635 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
How it goes
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: C – G7 – C
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CG7C- G7G · B · D · F
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Questions about Bread And Butter
What chords are in Bread And Butter?
The loop is C – F – C – F (I – IV – I – IV) in C major, and the song ends on C – G7 – C.
What key is Bread And Butter in?
C major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Bread And Butter?
Tumble down: broken chord 8-5-1, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Bread And Butter 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.