Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
Rock Island Line: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by Lonnie Donegan
- Bb major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- 1956
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Rock Island Line written out as piano music: the ii – I – II – ii loop in Bb major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays pop heartbeat (root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3)), and the right hand sings the tune.
Rock Island Line chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in Bb major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cm | ii | C Eb G |
| 2 | Bb | I | Bb D F |
| 3 | C | II | C E G |
| 4 | Cm | ii | C Eb G |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: pop heartbeat (root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3)) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the Cm – Bb – C – Cm chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
Questions about Rock Island Line
Does the sheet music for Rock Island Line have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Rock Island Line?
The loop is Cm – Bb – C – Cm (ii – I – II – ii) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Rock Island Line in?
Bb major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Rock Island Line?
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 Rock Island Line 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.