Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag on piano
Written by James Brown
- E major
- 4/4
- 128 BPM
- 1965
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: B7 – E7 – A7 – E7
How it goes
Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: B7 is B, D#, F# and A; E7 is E, G#, B and D; A7 is A, C#, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
B7V7E7I7A7IV7E7I7- B7B · D# · F# · A
- E7E · G# · B · D
- A7A · C# · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Lazy seesaw
How it goes
A low note, a higher one, a gap, then the higher one again. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 520 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
How it goes
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 128 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: A – B – E
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE- AA · C# · E
- BB · D# · F#
- EE · G# · B
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Questions about Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag
What chords are in Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag?
The loop is B7 – E7 – A7 – E7 (V7 – I7 – IV7 – I7) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag in?
E major, at about 128 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag?
Lazy seesaw: root–fifth 1-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.