Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play They’re Either Too Young Or Too Old on piano
By Jimmy Dorsey
- F major
- 2/2
- 68 BPM
- ii–V7–ii–V7 loop
- 1943
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn They’re Either Too Young Or Too Old in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gm – C7 – Gm – C7
How it goes
They’re Either Too Young Or Too Old sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Gm is G, Bb and D; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GmiiC7V7GmiiC7V7- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · 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: Polka-hop chords
How it goes
Chords only on the “ands” in a quick two-beat bar: the “pah” of a polka. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 68 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: Gm – C7 – F
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GmC7F- FF · A · C
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Questions about They’re Either Too Young Or Too Old
What chords are in They’re Either Too Young Or Too Old?
The loop is Gm – C7 – Gm – C7 (ii – V7 – ii – V7) in F major, and the song ends on Gm – C7 – F.
What key is They’re Either Too Young Or Too Old in?
F major, at about 68 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in They’re Either Too Young Or Too Old?
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 They’re Either Too Young Or Too Old 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.