PianoChords.studio

Johnny Reb by Johnny Horton

Piano chords, voicings & structure breakdown · 13 steps · 3 unique chords · 1950s

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.
Intro, part 1 (×2)Step 1 of 13

E

LeftE2, B2RightB3, E4, G♯4
C4E2B2B3E4G♯4
Left hand Right hand Middle C (C4)

Harmonic Analysis & Structure

Overview

Key: E major · Chords used: 3 · Sections: 10

Form: Intro → Chorus → Verse → Chorus → Verse → Chorus → Verse → Chorus → Verse → Chorus

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

  • E – A (×2)
    I – IV
  • E
    I

Chorus 1

  • E – B7 – E
    I – V7 – I

Verse 1

  • E
    I
  • A – E – B7 (×2)
    IV – I – V7
  • E
    I

Chorus 2

Same chords as Chorus 1.

Verse 2

Same chords as Verse 1.

Chorus 3

Same chords as Chorus 1.

Verse 3

Same chords as Verse 1.

Chorus 4

Same chords as Chorus 1.

Verse 4

Same chords as Verse 1.

Chorus 5

  • E – B7 (×3)
    I – V7

Chord vocabulary

ChordRoman numeralRoleHeard in
EIHome chord (tonic)Intro, Chorus, Verse
AIVIn the keyIntro, Verse
B7V7In the keyChorus, Verse

Sources & accuracy

  • Chords and sections: the McGill Billboard Project (Burgoyne, Wild & Fujinaga, 2011). Expert transcription by trained musicians (song 1287, 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
1Intro, part 1 (×2)EE2, B2B3, E4, G♯4—
2Intro, part 1 (×2)AA2, E3C♯4, E4, A4—
3Intro, part 2EE2, B2B3, E4, G♯4—
4Chorus 1EE2, B2B3, E4, G♯4—
5Chorus 1B7B1, F♯2A3, D♯4, F♯4—
6Chorus 1EE2, B2B3, E4, G♯4—
7Verse 1, part 1EE2, B2B3, E4, G♯4—
8Verse 1, part 2 (×2)AA2, E3C♯4, E4, A4—
9Verse 1, part 2 (×2)EE2, B2B3, E4, G♯4—
10Verse 1, part 2 (×2)B7B1, F♯2A3, D♯4, F♯4—
11Verse 1, part 3EE2, B2B3, E4, G♯4—
12Chorus 5 (×3)EE2, B2B3, E4, G♯4—
13Chorus 5 (×3)B7B1, F♯2A3, D♯4, F♯4—