Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Do You Know You Are My Sunshine on piano
Written by Don Reid & Harold Reid
- G major
- 2/2
- 150 BPM
- V7–I–V7–I loop
- 1978
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Do You Know You Are My Sunshine 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
Do You Know You Are My Sunshine 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: 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 150 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
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Questions about Do You Know You Are My Sunshine
What chords are in Do You Know You Are My Sunshine?
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 Do You Know You Are My Sunshine in?
G major, at about 150 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Do You Know You Are My Sunshine?
Tumble down: broken chord 8-5-1, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Do You Know You Are My Sunshine 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.