Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Santa Baby on piano
By Eartha Kitt
- G major
- 4/4
- 92 BPM
- 1953
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Santa Baby in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – Em – A7 – D – G – Em – A7 – D
How it goes
Santa Baby sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: G is G, B and D; Em is E, G and B; A7 is A, C#, E and G; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIEmviA7II7DVGIEmviA7II7DV- GG · B · D
- EmE · G · B
- A7A · C# · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Giant steps
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, low and heavy, like a giant walking. Musicians call it lh chords (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pausing chords
How it goes
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 92 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: Am – D7 – G
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AmD7G- AmA · C · E
- D7D · F# · A · C
Play next
Questions about Santa Baby
What chords are in Santa Baby?
The loop is G – Em – A7 – D – G – Em – A7 – D (I – vi – II7 – V – I – vi – II7 – V) in G major, and the song ends on Am – D7 – G.
What key is Santa Baby in?
G major, at about 92 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Santa Baby?
Giant steps: lh chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Santa Baby easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Santa Baby?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 4 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.