It Ain't Necessarily So (From Porgy And Bess)

by George Gershwin
Download
Loading sheet music
Building your awesome sheet music
Looking to play this yourself? Try the standard piano arrangement of “It Ain't Necessarily So (From Porgy And Bess)”
Two-handed piano arrangement — color-coded notes, lead sheet, sheet music. Learn it yourself.

Other arrangements of It Ain't Necessarily So (From Porgy And Bess)

Pick a learning view or switch to the backing-track version.

Lyrics

(CN.C.)It (Gm)ain’t ne ces (C)sa ri ly (Gm)so,

it (Gm)ain’t ne ces (C)sa ri ly (Gm)so,

de (C7)tings dat yo’ (Db7)li’ ble to (C7)read in de (Db7)Bi ble, it (A7)ain’t ne ces (D7)sa ri ly (C7)so.

Li’l (Gm)Da vid was (C)small, but oh (Gm)my!

Li’l (Gm)Da vid was (C)small but oh (Gm)my!

He (C7)fought big Go (Db7)li ath who (C7)lay down an’ (Db7)di eth!

Li’l (A7)Da vid was (D7)small, but oh (C7)so.

Li’l (Gm)my!

(Eb7)Wa doo, (Gbm6)wa doo, (Ab)zim bam (Eb7)bod dle oo, (B)zim bam (Ab)bod dle oo, (D7)hoo dle ah da (Em7)wa da, (Fm6)hoo dle ah da (D7)wa da, (Gm)scat ty wah.

Scat ty wah (D)Yeah!

Oh, (Gm)Jo nah.

he (C)lived in de (Gm)whale,

oh, (Gm)Jo nah, he (C)lived in de (Gm)whale,

fo’ (C7)he made his (Db7)home in dar (C7)fish ’s ab (Db7)do men.

Oh, (A7)Jo nah, he (D7)lived in de (C7)whale.

Li’l (Gm)Mo ses was (C)found a (Gm)stream,

li’l (Gm)Mo ses was (C)found a (Gm)stream,

he (C7)float ed on (Db7)wa ter ’til (C7)ole Pha raoh’s (Db7)daugh ter she (A7)fished him, she (D7)says, from that (C7)whale.

Li’l (Gm)stream.

(Eb7)Wa doo, (F#)wa doo, (Ab)zim bam (Eb7)bod dle oo, (B)zim bam (A7)bod dle oo, (D7)hoo dle ah da (Em7)wa da, (Fm6)hoo dle ah da (D7)wa da, (Gm)scat ty wah, scat ty wah.

(D)Yeah!

It (Gm)ain’t ne ces (C)sa ri ly (Gm)so,

it (Gm)ain’t ne ces (C)sa ri ly (Gm)so.

Dey (C7)tell all you (Db7)chil lun de (C7)deb ble’s a (Db7)vil lun, but (A7)’tain’t ne ces (D7)sa ri ly (Gm)so.

To (Eb7)get in to Heb ben don’ (Ab)snap for a seb ben!

Live (Am7)clean!

Don’ (D7)have no (G6)fault.

(G7)Oh, (C7)I takes dat gos pel when (F)ev er it’s pos ’ble, but (Em7)wid a (A7)grain of (D7)salt.

Me (Gm)thus’ lah lived (C)nine hun dred (Gm)years.

Me (Gm)thus lah lived (C)nine hun dred (Gm)years,

but (C7)who calls dat (Db7)liv in’ when (C7)no gal ’ll (Db7)give in to (A7)no man what’s (D7)nine hun dred (C)years?

I’m (Cm6)preach in’ dis ser mon to (G)show,

it (C)ain’t nes sa, (B13)ain’t nes sa, (Em)ain’t nes sa, (Am7)ain’t nes sa, (G)ain’t ne ces (D)sa ri ly (G6)so.

It Ain't Necessarily So (From Porgy And Bess) — Accompaniment Sheet Music (Classic Notation)

9 people have learned this song

Classic piano notation for "It Ain't Necessarily So (From Porgy And Bess)" by George Gershwin as an accompaniment / backing track. Both hands engraved at publisher quality in C — sing or play melody on top while the score follows along at 100 BPM. Click any note to jump there.

Tip: Press play and sing the melody on top of the piano. If the original key (C) sits too high or low for your voice, use the transpose control to shift the accompaniment into a comfortable range — the backing moves with you. Need a pitch reference? Tap the mic icon to bring the vocal melody in.

Try other practice modes:

About “It Ain't Necessarily So (From Porgy And Bess)”

Is the engraved accompaniment score for "It Ain't Necessarily So (From Porgy And Bess)" suitable for a pianist?
Yes — both hands are notated in classic piano notation (treble + bass clefs, key C, real chord symbols), engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML. A staff pianist or accompanist can read this directly from the screen or printed PDF and play the backing while you sing the melody.
What key is the piano accompaniment for "It Ain't Necessarily So (From Porgy And Bess)" by George Gershwin in?
The backing track is in C at 100 BPM. If that doesn't sit in your vocal range, use the live transpose control to shift up or down semitones — the accompaniment moves with the new key automatically.
Can I sing over "It Ain't Necessarily So (From Porgy And Bess)" with this accompaniment?
Yes — that's exactly what it's built for. The vocal melody is muted by default so you can sing freely. Need a pitch reference? Tap the mic icon to bring the melody back in at a lower volume.
Is this a karaoke version of "It Ain't Necessarily So (From Porgy And Bess)"?
Effectively yes — it's the piano-only backing for "It Ain't Necessarily So (From Porgy And Bess)", with no vocals. You can also slow it down to practice tricky verses, then bring it back to full tempo.
Can I use "It Ain't Necessarily So (From Porgy And Bess)" as a backing track for my instrument?
Absolutely. Singers, guitarists, violinists, wind players, and instrumental practice in general all work — the piano holds the harmony so you can carry the melody on whatever instrument you play.
Can I download the accompaniment for "It Ain't Necessarily So (From Porgy And Bess)"?
Yes — registered users can download MIDI + MusicXML (open in any notation software). PDF sheet music is also available for the full arrangement.
Who wrote "It Ain't Necessarily So (From Porgy And Bess)"?
"It Ain't Necessarily So (From Porgy And Bess)" was originally performed by George Gershwin. This piano accompaniment is an arrangement of that song, designed for sing-along and play-along use.
What other backing tracks by George Gershwin are available?
Other accompaniments by George Gershwin: "But Not For Me", "Do It Again", "Embraceable You". Same toggle-the-melody, change-the-key setup.
What is this accompaniment Sheet Music view?
Same engraver-grade rendering as the standard Sheet Music mode — both hands, classic piano notation, key of C, real chord symbols — but the audio is the karaoke / backing-track arrangement of "It Ain't Necessarily So (From Porgy And Bess)" with the lead melody removed. Perfect for singers, lead instruments, and ensemble practice.
Can I sing or play melody while the score follows along?
Yes. The backing track removes the melody so you can sing or play it on top while the chord changes and rhythm guide you. The engraved score scrolls in time with the audio so you never lose your place.
Is this the same notation a piano book would show?
Yes — treble + bass clefs, key signature, time signature, beams, dynamics, and chord symbols above the staff, all rendered from the original publisher MusicXML. Identical reading experience to a printed piano accompaniment book.

More songs you might like

But Not For Me, George Gershwin
Eb

But Not For Me

George Gershwin

Medium120 BPM
But Not For Me, George Gershwin
F

But Not For Me

George Gershwin

Easy136 BPM
Strike Up The Band, George Gershwin
Bb

Strike Up The Band

George Gershwin

Medium100 BPM
Someone To Watch Over Me, George Gershwin
C

Someone To Watch Over Me

George Gershwin

Easy106 BPM
WHO CARES?, George Gershwin
C

WHO CARES?

George Gershwin

Easy120 BPM
Love Walked In, George Gershwin
C

Love Walked In

George Gershwin

Easy120 BPM
Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away), George Gershwin
C

Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away)

George Gershwin

Easy123 BPM
Nice Work If You Can Get It, George Gershwin
G

Nice Work If You Can Get It

George Gershwin

Medium125 BPM
Let's Call The Whole Thing Off, George Gershwin
D

Let's Call The Whole Thing Off

George Gershwin

Medium160 BPM
Little Jazz Bird, George Gershwin
G

Little Jazz Bird

George Gershwin

Easy109 BPM
Bidin' My Time, George Gershwin
F

Bidin' My Time

George Gershwin

Easy120 BPM
But Not For Me, George Gershwin
C

But Not For Me

George Gershwin

Very Easy110 BPM