Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Rock The Casbah on piano
Written by Joe Strummer, Mick Jones & others
- C major
- 4/4
- 132 BPM
- 1982
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Rock The Casbah in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Em – F – Em – Am
How it goes
Rock The Casbah sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Em is E, G and B; F is F, A and C; Am is A, C and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EmiiiFIVEmiiiAmvi- EmE · G · B
- FF · A · C
- AmA · C · E
- 2
Left hand: Run-up footsteps
How it goes
Four steady steps plus a quick extra one that leads into the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 581 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Tiptoe chords
How it goes
One firm chord, then three tiptoe chords between the beats. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 132 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: F – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
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Questions about Rock The Casbah
What chords are in Rock The Casbah?
The loop is Em – F – Em – Am (iii – IV – iii – vi) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Rock The Casbah in?
C major, at about 132 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Rock The Casbah?
Run-up footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Rock The Casbah 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.