Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play I’ve Got The World On A String on piano
By Harold Arlen
- F major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1932
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn I’ve Got The World On A String in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – D7 – Gm7 – F – G7 – G7
How it goes
I’ve Got The World On A String sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 6 chords: F is F, A and C; D7 is D, F#, A and C; Gm7 is G, Bb, D and F; G7 is G, B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FID7VI7Gm7ii7FIG7II7G7II7- FF · A · C
- D7D · F# · A · C
- Gm7G · Bb · D · F
- G7G · B · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Island seesaw
How it goes
Low, high, low in the three-three-two island rhythm. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 723 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Run-up chords
How it goes
Four steady chords plus a quick extra one leading into the next bar. 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: Bb – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
Play next
Questions about I’ve Got The World On A String
What chords are in I’ve Got The World On A String?
The loop is F – D7 – Gm7 – F – G7 – G7 (I – VI7 – ii7 – I – II7 – I) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is I’ve Got The World On A String in?
F major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I’ve Got The World On A String?
Island seesaw: root–fifth 1-5-1, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I’ve Got The World On A String easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 6 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of I’ve Got The World On A String?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 5 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.