Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Little Jeannie on piano
By Elton John
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 115 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Little Jeannie in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – Am – D7 – Gm
How it goes
Little Jeannie sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Am is A, C and E; D7 is D, F#, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIAmviiD7III7Gmvi- BbBb · D · F
- AmA · C · E
- D7D · F# · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- 2
Left hand: Hop-up drop
How it goes
A jump up, the top note twice, then a drop below the start. Musicians call it broken chord 8-12-12-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 40 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Freeze-tag chords
How it goes
Chord, chord-and, then freeze for the rest of the bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 115 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 – F – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
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Questions about Little Jeannie
What chords are in Little Jeannie?
The loop is Bb – Am – D7 – Gm (I – vii – III7 – vi) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Little Jeannie in?
Bb major, at about 115 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Little Jeannie?
Hop-up drop: broken chord 8-12-12-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Little Jeannie 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.