Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play I Was Jack on piano
Written by John Mellencamp, Jody Scott Stevens & others
- G major
- 4/4
- 96 BPM
- V–I–V–IV loop
- 2018
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn I Was Jack in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – G – D – C
How it goes
I Was Jack sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; G is G, B and D; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DVGIDVCIV- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Hurry-and-wait pulse
How it goes
Three quick notes rush out early, then the bass waits for the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 336 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Swing push
How it goes
Three chords tumble out early with a swing, then the bar breathes. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 96 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 – G
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG
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Questions about I Was Jack
What chords are in I Was Jack?
The loop is D – G – D – C (V – I – V – IV) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is I Was Jack in?
G major, at about 96 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I Was Jack?
Hurry-and-wait pulse: root bass · 1 · 1a · 2&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I Was Jack 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.