Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play He’ll Have To Go on piano
By Jim Reeves
- F major
- 3/4
- 135 BPM
- I–I7–IV–I loop
- Easy
Learn He’ll Have To Go in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – F7 – Bb – F
He’ll Have To Go sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIF7I7BbIVFI- FF · A · C
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah-pah
One strong beat and two light ones: a dance in three. Musicians call it waltz oom-pah-pah (waltz), an easy pattern heard in 526 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz bells
A single high note, then two chords: ding, dong, dong in three. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 135 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: F – C7 – F
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FC7F- C7C · E · G · Bb
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Questions about He’ll Have To Go
What chords are in He’ll Have To Go?
The loop is F – F7 – Bb – F (I – I7 – IV – I) in F major, and the song ends on F – C7 – F.
What key is He’ll Have To Go in?
F major, at about 135 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in He’ll Have To Go?
Oom-pah-pah: waltz oom-pah-pah, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is He’ll Have To Go 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.