Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Polly-Wolly Tunafish on piano
Written by Traditional
- F major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- I–V7–I–V7 loop
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Polly-Wolly Tunafish in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – C7 – F – C7
How it goes
Polly-Wolly Tunafish sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIC7V7FIC7V7- FF · A · C
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Trampoline bounce
How it goes
Root, a jump up, a dip down, a jump up: a country-style bounce. Musicians call it broken chord 8-12-5-12 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 257 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pumping chords
How it goes
A chord on every eighth note, driving the song forward. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: Bb – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
Play next
Questions about Polly-Wolly Tunafish
What chords are in Polly-Wolly Tunafish?
The loop is F – C7 – F – C7 (I – V7 – I – V7) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Polly-Wolly Tunafish in?
F major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Polly-Wolly Tunafish?
Trampoline bounce: broken chord 8-12-5-12, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Polly-Wolly Tunafish easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.