Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play I Wanna Dance With Somebody on piano

By George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn I Wanna Dance With Somebody in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: F – Dm – F – C – F – Dm7 – F
How it goes
I Wanna Dance With Somebody sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 7 chords: F is F, A and C; Dm is D, F and A; C is C, E and G; Dm7 is D, F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIDmviFICVFIDm7vi7FI
- FF · A · C
- DmD · F · A
- CC · E · G
- Dm7D · F · A · C
2
Left hand: Rush-and-step pulse
How it goes
Three quick notes tumble out, a pause, then one high step on beat 4. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 157 songs of the library.
Rush-and-step pulseRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Sprint-and-stop chords
How it goes
Four quick chords in the first half, then a calm, empty second half. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Sprint-and-stop chordsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 130 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: Bb – C7 – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbC7F
- BbBb · D · F
- C7C · E · G · Bb

What chords are in I Wanna Dance With Somebody?

The loop is F – Dm – F – C – F – Dm7 – F (I – vi – I – V – I – vi7 – I) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C7 – F.

What key is I Wanna Dance With Somebody in?

F major, at about 130 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in I Wanna Dance With Somebody?

Rush-and-step pulse: root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is I Wanna Dance With Somebody 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 Wanna Dance With Somebody?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.

Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.