Piano chords · Blues & boogie
When I Was a Boy: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Dar Williams
- G major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
When I Was a Boy written out as piano music: the Isus – I – IV – I loop in G major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays seesaw bass (root–fifth 1-5-1-5), and the right hand sings the tune.
When I Was a Boy chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in G major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gsus4 | Isus4 | G C D |
| 2 | G | I | G B D |
| 3 | C | IV | C E G |
| 4 | G | I | G B D |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: seesaw bass (root–fifth 1-5-1-5) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the Gsus4 – G – C – G chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
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Questions about When I Was a Boy
Does the sheet music for When I Was a Boy have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in When I Was a Boy?
The loop is Gsus4 – G – C – G (Isus – I – IV – I) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is When I Was a Boy in?
G major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in When I Was a Boy?
Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is When I Was a Boy 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.