Piano chords · Classical salon
How to play I’m Tired on piano
Written by Ray Price, Melvin Tillis & others
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- I–IV–V7–I loop
- 1957
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn I’m Tired in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – Eb – F7 – Bb
How it goes
I’m Tired sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; F7 is F, A, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIEbIVF7V7BbI- BbBb · D · F
- EbEb · G · Bb
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Little steps
How it goes
Up the chord and back, one step at a time. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5-3 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 304 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Bouncy bells
How it goes
A high bell note, then chords bouncing on every “and”. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: Eb – F7 – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbF7Bb
Play next
Questions about I’m Tired
What chords are in I’m Tired?
The loop is Bb – Eb – F7 – Bb (I – IV – V7 – I) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F7 – Bb.
What key is I’m Tired in?
Bb major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I’m Tired?
Little steps: broken chord 1-3-5-3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I’m Tired 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.