Super Simple Chords

Piano chords · Old-time stride

How to play I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo on piano

By Mack Gordon

Tuning the piano…
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Left hand Boom-chickThe right hand sings the tuneChords the loop the song repeats most

Play the full song with sheet music

Learn I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

  1. 1

    Chords: Eb – Eb7 – Ab – Eb

    How it goes

    I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Eb7 is Eb, G, Bb and Db; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.

    EbIEb7I7AbIVEbI
    • EbEb · G · Bb
    • Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
    • AbAb · C · Eb
    62 songs go round the same chords
  2. 2

    Left hand: Boom-chick

    How it goes

    Bass, chord, bass, chord: the bounce of ragtime and country. Musicians call it boom-chick (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 762 songs of the library.

  3. 3

    Right hand: the chords, held

    How it goes

    In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.

  4. 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. 5

    Ending: Ab – Bb – Eb

    How it goes

    The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.

    AbBbEb
    • BbBb · D · F

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Questions about I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo

What chords are in I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo?

The loop is Eb – Eb7 – Ab – Eb (I – I7 – IV – I) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.

What key is I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo in?

Eb major, at about 100 beats a minute in 2/2.

What does the left hand play in I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo?

Boom-chick: boom-chick, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo 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.