Super Simple Chords

Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play Overjoyed on piano

By Stevie Wonder

  • Eb major
  • 9/8
  • 160 BPM
  • 1983
  • Easy
Tuning the piano…
Learn it
Style

Left hand Leapfrog pulseThe right hand sings the tuneChords worked out from the notes of the famous part

Learn Overjoyed in 5 steps

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

  1. 1

    Chords: Bbm – C7 – Cb – C7

    Overjoyed sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bbm is Bb, Db and F; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; Cb is Cb, Eb and Gb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.

    BbmvC7VI7CbbVIC7VI7
    • BbmBb · Db · F
    • C7C · E · G · Bb
    • CbCb · Eb · Gb
  2. 2

    Left hand: Leapfrog pulse

    One long note, then a quick hop that leaps right into beat 3. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2a · 3 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 153 songs of the library.

  3. 3

    Right hand: the chords, held

    In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.

  4. 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. 5

    Ending: Ab – Bb – Eb

    The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.

    AbBbEb
    • AbAb · C · Eb
    • BbBb · D · F
    • EbEb · G · Bb

Play next

Questions about Overjoyed

What chords are in Overjoyed?

The loop is Bbm – C7 – Cb – C7 (v – VI7 – bVI – VI7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.

What key is Overjoyed in?

Eb major, at about 160 beats a minute in 9/8.

What does the left hand play in Overjoyed?

Leapfrog pulse: root bass · 1 · 2a · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Overjoyed 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.

Can I hear the real melody of Overjoyed?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.

Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.