Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Don’t Blame Me on piano
By Al Lerner
- C major
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- 1932
- Easy
Learn Don’t Blame Me in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – A7 – Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 – C – Dm7 – G7
Don’t Blame Me sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: A is A, C# and E; A7 is A, C#, E and G; Dm7 is D, F, A and C; G7 is G, B, D and F; Cmaj7 is C, E, G and B; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AVIA7VI7Dm7ii7G7V7Cmaj7Imaj7CIDm7ii7G7V7- AA · C# · E
- A7A · C# · E · G
- Dm7D · F · A · C
- G7G · B · D · F
- Cmaj7C · E · G · B
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Island seesaw
Low, high, low in the three-three-two island rhythm. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 723 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 90 BPM
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
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CG7C
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Questions about Don’t Blame Me
What chords are in Don’t Blame Me?
The loop is A – A7 – Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 – C – Dm7 – G7 (VI – VI7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – I – ii7 – V7) in C major, and the song ends on C – G7 – C.
What key is Don’t Blame Me in?
C major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Don’t Blame Me?
Island seesaw: root–fifth 1-5-1, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Don’t Blame Me easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Don’t Blame Me?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.