Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play I Won’t Grow Up on piano
Written by Mark Charlap
- G major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- V7–I–V7–I loop
- 1954
- Easy
Learn I Won’t Grow Up in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D7 – G – D7 – G
I Won’t Grow Up sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D7 is D, F#, A and C; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
D7V7GID7V7GI- D7D · F# · A · C
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah
A bass note, then three soft chords: oom, pah, pah, pah. Musicians call it bass + chords (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Run-up chords
Four steady chords plus a quick extra one leading into the next bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: G – D7 – G
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GD7G
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Questions about I Won’t Grow Up
What chords are in I Won’t Grow Up?
The loop is D7 – G – D7 – G (V7 – I – V7 – I) in G major, and the song ends on G – D7 – G.
What key is I Won’t Grow Up in?
G major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in I Won’t Grow Up?
Oom-pah: bass + chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I Won’t Grow Up 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.