Piano chords · Slow dance ’50s
How to play Play That Song on piano
Written by Hoagy Carmichael, Frank Loesser & others
- Eb major
- 12/8
- 150 BPM
- I–IV–vi–V loop
- 2016
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Play That Song in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Ab – Cm – Bb
How it goes
Play That Song sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Cm is C, Eb and G; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIAbIVCmviBbV- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb
- CmC · Eb · G
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Slow-dance heartbeat
How it goes
Four slow, deep beats under a swaying fifties ballad. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 134 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 150 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb
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Questions about Play That Song
What chords are in Play That Song?
The loop is Eb – Ab – Cm – Bb (I – IV – vi – V) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is Play That Song in?
Eb major, at about 150 beats a minute in 12/8.
What does the left hand play in Play That Song?
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 Play That Song 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.