When You’re Good To Mama Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn When You’re Good To Mama in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: Fm – C7 – Fm – C7
When You’re Good To Mama sits in F minor: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Fm is F, Ab and C; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FmiC7V7FmiC7V7
- FmF · Ab · C
- C7C · E · G · Bb
27 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Jazz walk
One note per beat, strolling like a jazz bassist. Musicians call it walking bass (walking bass), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Jazz walkWalking bass · Blues and boogie-woogieLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Steady chords
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Steady chordsBlock chords · PopRight handEasy
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: Db – Eb – Fm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEbFm
- DbDb · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb

What chords are in When You’re Good To Mama?

The loop is Fm – C7 – Fm – C7 (i – V7 – i – V7) in F minor, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Fm.

What key is When You’re Good To Mama in?

F minor, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in When You’re Good To Mama?

Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is When You’re Good To Mama 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.