Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play I Cain’t Say No on piano
Written by Richard Rodgers
- F major
- 4/4
- 105 BPM
- Easy
Learn I Cain’t Say No in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Gm – Am – F
I Cain’t Say No sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D; Am is A, C and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIGmiiAmiiiFI- FF · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- AmA · C · E
- 2
Left hand: Brass-band march
A bold open chord, then a low note: oom-pah like a marching band. Musicians call it lh power fifths (2/4) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in 234 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Polka-hop chords
Chords only on the “ands” in a quick two-beat bar: the “pah” of a polka. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 105 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: Bb – C – F
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
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Questions about I Cain’t Say No
What chords are in I Cain’t Say No?
The loop is F – Gm – Am – F (I – ii – iii – I) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is I Cain’t Say No in?
F major, at about 105 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I Cain’t Say No?
Brass-band march: lh power fifths (2/4), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I Cain’t Say No 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.