Tupelo Honey Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Tupelo Honey in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Bb – Dm – Eb – Bb
Tupelo Honey sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Dm is D, F and A; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIDmiiiEbIVBbI
- BbBb · D · F
- DmD · F · A
- EbEb · G · Bb
34 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Doorbell ding-dong
Two high, two low, in a lazy push rhythm: ding-ding, dong-dong. Musicians call it broken chord 8-8-5-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 472 songs of the library.
Doorbell ding-dongBroken chord · BalladLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
4
Both hands at 69 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: Eb – F – Bb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb
- FF · A · C

What chords are in Tupelo Honey?

The loop is Bb – Dm – Eb – Bb (I – iii – IV – I) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.

What key is Tupelo Honey in?

Bb major, at about 69 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Tupelo Honey?

Doorbell ding-dong: broken chord 8-8-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Tupelo Honey 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.