Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh! on piano
Artist unknown
- C major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- Easy
Learn Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh! in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm – G7 – C – G7
Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh! sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dm is D, F and A; G7 is G, B, D and F; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmiiG7V7CIG7V7- DmD · F · A
- G7G · B · D · F
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 BPM
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: Dm – G7 – C
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DmG7C
Questions about Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!
What chords are in Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!?
The loop is Dm – G7 – C – G7 (ii – V7 – I – V7) in C major, and the song ends on Dm – G7 – C.
What key is Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh! in?
C major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh! 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.