Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Southern Nights on piano
Written by Allen Toussaint
- F major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1974
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Southern Nights in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – D7 – G7 – Bb
How it goes
Southern Nights sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; D7 is D, F#, A and C; G7 is G, B, D and F; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FID7VI7G7II7BbIV- FF · A · C
- D7D · F# · A · C
- G7G · B · D · F
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Ping-pong bounce
How it goes
High, low, high, low on every beat: a ping-pong bounce. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 302 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Swing push
How it goes
Three chords tumble out early with a swing, then the bar breathes. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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- CC · E · G
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Questions about Southern Nights
What chords are in Southern Nights?
The loop is F – D7 – G7 – Bb (I – VI7 – II7 – IV) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Southern Nights in?
F major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Southern Nights?
Ping-pong bounce: broken chord 8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Southern Nights 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.