Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play It’s Johnny’s Birthday on piano
Written by Bill Martin & Phil Coulter
- C major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1970
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn It’s Johnny’s Birthday in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – D – G – C
How it goes
It’s Johnny’s Birthday sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; D is D, F# and A; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIDIIGVCI- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Ping-pong bounce
How it goes
High, low, high, low on every beat: a ping-pong bounce. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 302 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: F – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
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Questions about It’s Johnny’s Birthday
What chords are in It’s Johnny’s Birthday?
The loop is C – D – G – C (I – II – V – I) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is It’s Johnny’s Birthday in?
C major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in It’s Johnny’s Birthday?
Ping-pong bounce: broken chord 8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is It’s Johnny’s Birthday 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.