PianoChords.studio

Baby What You Want Me to Do by Jimmy Reed

Piano chords, voicings & structure breakdown · 18 steps · 4 unique chords · 1960s

Expert transcription. These chords come from a published research transcription of the original recording by trained musicians. A second independent transcription to cross-check against isn't available (or differs in places), so this page isn't marked verified.
IntroStep 1 of 18

E7

LeftE2, B2RightB3, D4, G♯4
C4E2B2B3D4G♯4
Left hand Right hand Middle C (C4)

Harmonic Analysis & Structure

Overview

Key: E major · Chords used: 4 · Sections: 6

Form: Intro → Verse → Verse → Solo → Verse → Instrumental

Where these chords come from: an expert transcription of the original recording made for the McGill Billboard Project (Burgoyne, Wild & Fujinaga, 2011). This page shows that transcription as-is: the analysis below is generated directly from it by code, not written by AI. Consecutive repeats of a chord are shown once, and the piano voicings are our playable arrangement of each chord symbol, not a note-for-note transcription.

Section by section

Intro

  • E7
    I7

Verse 1

  • E7 – A7 – E7
    I7 – IV7 – I7
  • B7/F♯ – B7 (×2)
    V⁴₃ – V7
  • E7 – B7
    I7 – V7

Verse 2

Same chords as Verse 1.

Solo

  • E7 – A7 – E7
    I7 – IV7 – I7
  • B7/F♯ – B7 (×2)
    V⁴₃ – V7
  • E7 – B7
    I7 – V7

Verse 3

Same chords as Verse 1.

Instrumental

  • E7 – A7 – E7
    I7 – IV7 – I7

Chord vocabulary

ChordRoman numeralRoleHeard in
E7I7Outside the key (chromatic)Intro, Verse, Solo, Instrumental
A7IV7Outside the key (chromatic)Verse, Solo, Instrumental
B7/F♯V⁴₃In the keyVerse, Solo
B7V7In the keyVerse, Solo

Sources & accuracy

  • Chords and sections: the McGill Billboard Project (Burgoyne, Wild & Fujinaga, 2011). Expert transcription by trained musicians (song 1024, CC0), via ChoCo.
  • Not verified: only one expert transcription of this song is available so far.
  • Rhythm and chord durations aren't shown; each step is one chord change.

Sources & Accuracy

Every chord on this page comes from the expert transcription listed first below. Piano voicings are our arrangement of the reported chord symbols, not a note-for-note transcription.

All Piano Voicings

#SectionChordLeft handRight handSources
1IntroE7E2, B2B3, D4, G♯4—
2Verse 1, part 1E7E2, B2B3, D4, G♯4—
3Verse 1, part 1A7A2, E3C♯4, E4, G4—
4Verse 1, part 1E7E2, B2B3, D4, G♯4—
5Verse 1, part 2 (×2)B7/F♯F♯2B3, D♯4, F♯4, A4—
6Verse 1, part 2 (×2)B7B1, F♯2D♯4, F♯4, A4—
7Verse 1, part 3E7E2, B2D4, G♯4, B4—
8Verse 1, part 3B7B1, F♯2D♯4, F♯4, A4—
9Solo, part 1E7E2, B2D4, G♯4, B4—
10Solo, part 1A7A2, E3E4, G4, C♯5—
11Solo, part 1E7E2, B2D4, G♯4, B4—
12Solo, part 2 (×2)B7/F♯F♯2D♯4, F♯4, A4, B4—
13Solo, part 2 (×2)B7B1, F♯2D♯4, F♯4, A4—
14Solo, part 3E7E2, B2D4, G♯4, B4—
15Solo, part 3B7B1, F♯2D♯4, F♯4, A4—
16InstrumentalE7E2, B2D4, G♯4, B4—
17InstrumentalA7A2, E3E4, G4, C♯5—
18InstrumentalE7E2, B2D4, G♯4, B4—