Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Hey Hey, My My on piano
Written by Neil Young
- C major
- 4/4
- 110 BPM
- vi–V–IV–vi loop
- 1979
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Hey Hey, My My in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am – G – F – Am
How it goes
Hey Hey, My My sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; G is G, B and D; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmviGVFIVAmvi- AmA · C · E
- GG · B · D
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
How it goes
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 110 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: F – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- CC · E · G
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Questions about Hey Hey, My My
What chords are in Hey Hey, My My?
The loop is Am – G – F – Am (vi – V – IV – vi) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Hey Hey, My My in?
C major, at about 110 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Hey Hey, My My?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Hey Hey, My My 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.