Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Can’t Keep A Good Man Down on piano
Written by Eddie Carswell, Leonard Ahlstrom & others
- Eb major
- 2/2
- 80 BPM
- 1998
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Can’t Keep A Good Man Down in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Db – Ab – Cm
How it goes
Can’t Keep A Good Man Down sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Db is Db, F and Ab; Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Cm is C, Eb and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIDbbVIIAbIVCmvi- EbEb · G · Bb
- DbDb · F · Ab
- AbAb · C · Eb
- CmC · Eb · G
- 2
Left hand: Walking roots
How it goes
One low note on every beat, steady as walking feet. Musicians call it root bass · quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pausing chords
How it goes
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 80 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: Db – Ab – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are bVII – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbAbEb
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Questions about Can’t Keep A Good Man Down
What chords are in Can’t Keep A Good Man Down?
The loop is Eb – Db – Ab – Cm (I – bVII – IV – vi) in Eb major, and the song ends on Db – Ab – Eb.
What key is Can’t Keep A Good Man Down in?
Eb major, at about 80 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Can’t Keep A Good Man Down?
Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Can’t Keep A Good Man Down 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.