It Ain't Necessarily So

by George Gershwin
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Lyrics

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

Li’l (Gm)my!

Oh, (Gm)Jo nah, he (C)lived in a (Gm)whale,

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

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

Oh, (A7)Jo nah, he (D)lived in de (C)whale.

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

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

he (C7)float ed on (Db7)wa ter till (C7)ole Phar aoh’s (Db7)daugh ter, she (A7)fished him, she (D)says, from that (C)whale.

Li’l (Gm)stream.

It 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 (C)deb ble’s a (Db7)vil lun, But (A7)’tain’t ne ces (D)sa ri ly (Gm)so.

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

Live (Am7)clean!

Don’ (D7)have no (G)fault.

Oh, (C7)I takes dat gos pel when (F6)ev er it’s (Gm7)pos’ ble, but (A7sus)wid a (A7)grain of (D)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 (D)nine hun dred (C)years?

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

it (C)ain’t nes sa, (B7)ain’t nes sa, (Em)aint’t nes sa, (A)ain’t nes sa, (G)ain’t ne ces (D)sa ri ly (G6)so.

It Ain't Necessarily So — Easy Piano Notes for Beginners

1 person has learned this song

Learn "It Ain't Necessarily So" on piano with easy notes — perfect for absolute beginners. Large color-coded note names show exactly which keys to press. No music reading required. Key of Bb, 84 BPM.

Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.

About “It Ain't Necessarily So”

Can I play "It Ain't Necessarily So" without reading sheet music?
Yes — Easy Notes mode prints the letter name (C, D, E…) directly on each note in big color-coded labels, so you can match colors to your keyboard without any traditional notation. The whole arrangement of "It Ain't Necessarily So" is playable in minutes, even for first-time players.
What key is "It Ain't Necessarily So" by George Gershwin played in?
It Ain't Necessarily So is arranged in the key of Bb on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "It Ain't Necessarily So"?
The arrangement plays at 84 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "It Ain't Necessarily So" easy to play on piano?
Yes — this is one of our beginner-friendly arrangements with simplified chords and color-coded notes.
Can I download sheet music for "It Ain't Necessarily So"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "It Ain't Necessarily So"?
"It Ain't Necessarily So" was originally performed by George Gershwin. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What other songs by George Gershwin can I play here?
Try "LITTLE JAZZ BIRD", "SWANEE", "WHO CARES?". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Can a complete beginner play "It Ain't Necessarily So"?
Absolutely! The Beginner mode shows large color-coded notes with letter names (C, D, E...). Just match the colors to your keyboard — no music reading needed. "It Ain't Necessarily So" is perfect for first-time players.
Do I need to read music to play "It Ain't Necessarily So"?
No! Our Beginner mode replaces traditional notation with color-coded letter names. Each note shows exactly which key to press. You can start playing "It Ain't Necessarily So" in minutes, even if you've never touched a piano before.