Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Working In The Coal Mine on piano
By Devo
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 144 BPM
- I–V–I–V loop
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Working In The Coal Mine in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – F – Bb – F
How it goes
Working In The Coal Mine sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIFVBbIFV- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Bossa sway
How it goes
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: a gentle Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Slow-down chords
How it goes
Quick chords rush through the first half, then slow down to land on 4. 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: Eb – F – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- EbEb · G · Bb
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Questions about Working In The Coal Mine
What chords are in Working In The Coal Mine?
The loop is Bb – F – Bb – F (I – V – I – V) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Working In The Coal Mine in?
Bb major, at about 144 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Working In The Coal Mine?
Bossa sway: root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Working In The Coal Mine 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.