Of Thee I Sing Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Of Thee I Sing in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: C – C7 – F – Dm
How it goes
Of Thee I Sing sits in C minor: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F is F, A and C; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIC7I7FIVDmii
- CC · E · G
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- DmD · F · A
18 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Froggy bounce
How it goes
Fifth, high root, low root, high root: a jolly hopping country bass. Musicians call it broken chord 5-8-1-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 133 songs of the library.
Froggy bounceBroken chord · BalladLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
How it goes
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Hopscotch chordsBlock chords · StrideRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 72 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: C – Fm – C
How it goes
The last chords are I – iv – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CFmC
- FmF · Ab · C

What chords are in Of Thee I Sing?

The loop is C – C7 – F – Dm (I – I7 – IV – ii) in C minor, and the song ends on C – Fm – C.

What key is Of Thee I Sing in?

C minor, at about 72 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Of Thee I Sing?

Froggy bounce: broken chord 5-8-1-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Of Thee I Sing 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.