Piano chords · Blues & boogie
I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Elton John
- C major
- 12/8
- 117 BPM
- 1983
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues written out as piano music: the I – V – vi – iii7 – IV – I – V loop in C major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays rock’n’roll rocker (rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle), and the right hand sings the tune.
I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in C major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | I | C E G |
| 2 | G | V | G B D |
| 3 | Am | vi | A C E |
| 4 | Em7 | iii7 | E G B D |
| 5 | F | IV | F A C |
| 6 | C | I | C E G |
| 7 | G | V | G B D |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: rock’n’roll rocker (rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the C – G – Am – Em7 – F – C – G chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues
Does the sheet music for I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues?
The loop is C – G – Am – Em7 – F – C – G (I – V – vi – iii7 – IV – I – V) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues in?
C major, at about 117 beats a minute in 12/8.
What does the left hand play in I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues?
Rock’n’roll rocker: rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 7 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.