Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Chiquita Banana on piano
Written by Len Mackenzie, Garth Montgomery & others
- G major
- 4/4
- 130 BPM
- V7–I–V7–I loop
- 1946
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Chiquita Banana in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D7 – G – D7 – G
How it goes
Chiquita Banana sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D7 is D, F#, A and C; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
D7V7GID7V7GI- D7D · F# · A · C
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Stair steps
How it goes
Three notes climb up the chord in the island rhythm. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 438 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Deep-breath chords
How it goes
A breath on beat 1, then quick chords pumping to the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 130 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 – D – G
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
Play next
Questions about Chiquita Banana
What chords are in Chiquita Banana?
The loop is D7 – G – D7 – G (V7 – I – V7 – I) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Chiquita Banana in?
G major, at about 130 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Chiquita Banana?
Stair steps: broken chord 1-3-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Chiquita Banana easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.