Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Why Not Me on piano
Written by Harlan Howard, Sonny Throckmorton & others
- G major
- 4/4
- 144 BPM
- I–bVII–IV–I loop
- 1984
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Why Not Me in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – F – C – G
How it goes
Why Not Me sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; F is F, A and C; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIFbVIICIVGI- GG · B · D
- FF · A · C
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Doorbell ding-dong
How it goes
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.
- 3
Right hand: Gear-shift chords
How it goes
Quick even chords that skip beat 3, like an engine changing gear. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 144 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: C – D – G
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Why Not Me
What chords are in Why Not Me?
The loop is G – F – C – G (I – bVII – IV – I) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Why Not Me in?
G major, at about 144 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Why Not Me?
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 Why Not Me easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.