Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play Goodnight, Irene on piano
Written by Huddie Ledbetter & John A. Lomax
- G major
- 3/4
- 140 BPM
- 1936
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Goodnight, Irene in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G7 – C – D7 – G
How it goes
Goodnight, Irene sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G7 is G, B, D and F; C is C, E and G; 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.
G7I7CIVD7V7GI- G7G · B · D · F
- CC · E · G
- D7D · F# · A · C
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Sliding twins
How it goes
Two notes together step down beat by beat, like a hymn closing. Musicians call it lh power fifths (3/4) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in 258 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz chords
How it goes
A chord on each of the three beats: a simple waltz. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 140 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: G – Am – G
How it goes
The last chords are I – ii – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAmG- AmA · C · E
Play next
Questions about Goodnight, Irene
What chords are in Goodnight, Irene?
The loop is G7 – C – D7 – G (I7 – IV – V7 – I) in G major, and the song ends on G – Am – G.
What key is Goodnight, Irene in?
G major, at about 140 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in Goodnight, Irene?
Sliding twins: lh power fifths (3/4), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Goodnight, Irene 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.