Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play It’s A Wonderful World on piano
Written by Jan Savitt & Johnny Watson
- Eb major
- 2/2
- 100 BPM
- I–VI7–II7–V7 loop
- 1939
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn It’s A Wonderful World in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – C7 – F7 – Bb7
How it goes
It’s A Wonderful World sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIC7VI7F7II7Bb7V7- EbEb · G · Bb
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah
How it goes
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: Hopscotch chords
How it goes
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. 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 – Bb7 – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbBb7Eb
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Questions about It’s A Wonderful World
What chords are in It’s A Wonderful World?
The loop is Eb – C7 – F7 – Bb7 (I – VI7 – II7 – V7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Eb – Bb7 – Eb.
What key is It’s A Wonderful World in?
Eb major, at about 100 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in It’s A Wonderful World?
Oom-pah: bass + chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is It’s A Wonderful World 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.