Piano chords · Slow dance ’50s
Long John Blues: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by Tommy George
- F major
- 12/8
- 98 BPM
- I7–IV7–I7–V7 loop
- 1961
- Easy
Long John Blues written out as piano music: the I7 – IV7 – I7 – V7 loop in F major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays slow-dance heartbeat (root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8)), and the right hand sings the tune.
Long John Blues chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in F 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 | F7 | I7 | F A C Eb |
| 2 | Bb7 | IV7 | Bb D F Ab |
| 3 | F7 | I7 | F A C Eb |
| 4 | C7 | V7 | C E G Bb |
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: slow-dance heartbeat (root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8)) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the F7 – Bb7 – F7 – C7 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 Long John Blues
Does the sheet music for Long John Blues 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 Long John Blues?
The loop is F7 – Bb7 – F7 – C7 (I7 – IV7 – I7 – V7) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Long John Blues in?
F major, at about 98 beats a minute in 12/8.
What does the left hand play in Long John Blues?
Slow-dance heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Long John Blues 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.