Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Shoeless Joe From Hannibal, Mo. on piano
Written by Richard Adler & Jerry Ross
- Eb major
- 2/2
- 80 BPM
- V7–I–V7–I loop
- 1955
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Shoeless Joe From Hannibal, Mo. in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb7 – Eb – Bb7 – Eb
How it goes
Shoeless Joe From Hannibal, Mo. sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bb7V7EbIBb7V7EbI- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 80 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: Eb – Bb7 – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbBb7Eb
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Questions about Shoeless Joe From Hannibal, Mo.
What chords are in Shoeless Joe From Hannibal, Mo.?
The loop is Bb7 – Eb – Bb7 – Eb (V7 – I – V7 – I) in Eb major, and the song ends on Eb – Bb7 – Eb.
What key is Shoeless Joe From Hannibal, Mo. in?
Eb major, at about 80 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Shoeless Joe From Hannibal, Mo.?
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 Shoeless Joe From Hannibal, Mo. 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.