Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play I Keep Forgettin’ on piano
By Leiber And Stoller
- E minor
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- 1962
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn I Keep Forgettin’ in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bm7 – Cmaj7 – Cmaj7 – Bm7 – Am7 – Bm7 – Bm7
How it goes
I Keep Forgettin’ sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 7 chords: Bm7 is B, D, F# and A; Cmaj7 is C, E, G and B; Am7 is A, C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bm7v7Cmaj7VImaj7Cmaj7VImaj7Bm7v7Am7iv7Bm7v7Bm7v7- Bm7B · D · F# · A
- Cmaj7C · E · G · B
- Am7A · C · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Leapfrog pulse
How it goes
One long note, then a quick hop that leaps right into beat 3. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2a · 3 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 153 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 90 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: C – D – Em
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDEm- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- EmE · G · B
Play next
Questions about I Keep Forgettin’
What chords are in I Keep Forgettin’?
The loop is Bm7 – Cmaj7 – Cmaj7 – Bm7 – Am7 – Bm7 – Bm7 (v7 – VImaj7 – v7 – iv7 – v7 – VImaj7 – v7) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.
What key is I Keep Forgettin’ in?
E minor, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I Keep Forgettin’?
Leapfrog pulse: root bass · 1 · 2a · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I Keep Forgettin’ easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 7 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of I Keep Forgettin’?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.