Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play You Should Be Dancing on piano
Artist unknown
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 130 BPM
- vi–ii–vi–ii loop
- Easy
Learn You Should Be Dancing in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gm – Cm – Gm – Cm
You Should Be Dancing sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Gm is G, Bb and D; Cm is C, Eb and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GmviCmiiGmviCmii- GmG · Bb · D
- CmC · Eb · G
- 2
Left hand: Bossa sway
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: 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 130 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- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about You Should Be Dancing
What chords are in You Should Be Dancing?
The loop is Gm – Cm – Gm – Cm (vi – ii – vi – ii) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is You Should Be Dancing in?
Bb major, at about 130 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in You Should Be Dancing?
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 You Should Be Dancing 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.