Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
It’s Only A Paper Moon: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Harold Arlen
- G major
- 4/4
- 116 BPM
- I–biio–ii–V7 loop
- 1933
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
It’s Only A Paper Moon written out as piano music: the I – biio – ii – V7 loop in G major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays pop heartbeat (root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3)) and the right hand sprint-and-stop chords.
It’s Only A Paper Moon chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in G major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | I | G B D |
| 2 | G#dim | bii° | G# B D |
| 3 | Am | ii | A C E |
| 4 | D7 | V7 | D F# A C |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: pop heartbeat (root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3)) in the left hand and sprint-and-stop chords in the right, over the G – G#dim – Am – D7 chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
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Questions about It’s Only A Paper Moon
Does the sheet music for It’s Only A Paper Moon have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in It’s Only A Paper Moon?
The loop is G – G#dim – Am – D7 (I – biio – ii – V7) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is It’s Only A Paper Moon in?
G major, at about 116 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in It’s Only A Paper Moon?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is It’s Only A Paper Moon 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 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.