Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play The Crawdad Song on piano
By Traditional
- Eb major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- I–IV–V7–I loop
- Easy
Learn The Crawdad Song in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Ab – Bb7 – Eb
The Crawdad Song sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIAbIVBb7V7EbI- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Happy wiggle
Root, fifth, a step up and back: a cheerful bluesy wiggle. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-6-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 165 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 BPM
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: Ab – Bb7 – Eb
The last chords are IV – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBb7Eb
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Questions about The Crawdad Song
What chords are in The Crawdad Song?
The loop is Eb – Ab – Bb7 – Eb (I – IV – V7 – I) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb7 – Eb.
What key is The Crawdad Song in?
Eb major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in The Crawdad Song?
Happy wiggle: broken chord 1-5-6-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Crawdad Song 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.