Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
Dead Skunk: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Loudon Wainwright III
- G major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- IV–I–V–IV loop
- 1972
- Easy
Dead Skunk written out as piano music: the IV – I – V – IV loop in G major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays stair steps (broken chord 1-3-5) and the right hand hopscotch bells.
Dead Skunk chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in G 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 | C | IV | C E G |
| 2 | G | I | G B D |
| 3 | D | V | D F# A |
| 4 | C | IV | 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: stair steps (broken chord 1-3-5) in the left hand and hopscotch bells in the right, over the C – G – D – 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 Dead Skunk
Does the sheet music for Dead Skunk 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 Dead Skunk?
The loop is C – G – D – C (IV – I – V – IV) in G major, and the song ends on D – C – G.
What key is Dead Skunk in?
G major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Dead Skunk?
Stair steps: broken chord 1-3-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Dead Skunk 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.