Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Hip Hug Her on piano
Written by Steve Cropper, Donald Dunn & others
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 108 BPM
- 1967
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Hip Hug Her in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb7 – Eb – Db – Gb7
How it goes
Hip Hug Her sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Db is Db, F and Ab; Gb7 is Gb, Bb, Db and Fb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bb7I7EbIVDbbIIIGb7bVI7- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- DbDb · F · Ab
- Gb7Gb · Bb · Db · Fb
- 2
Left hand: Bossa sway
How it goes
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: a gentle Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Gospel-clap chords
How it goes
Skips beat 1, then soulful chords that bounce off the “ands”. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 108 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: Eb – F – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- FF · A · C
- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about Hip Hug Her
What chords are in Hip Hug Her?
The loop is Bb7 – Eb – Db – Gb7 (I7 – IV – bIII5 – bVI7) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Hip Hug Her in?
Bb major, at about 108 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Hip Hug Her?
Bossa sway: root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Hip Hug Her 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.