What key is "Jump, Jive An' Wail" in?

"Jump, Jive An' Wail" by The Brian Setzer Orchestra is in the key of Eb with a tempo of 120 BPM. Difficulty: medium.

Is "Jump, Jive An' Wail" easy to play on piano?

This arrangement is rated medium. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.

Can I play "Jump, Jive An' Wail" without reading sheet music?

Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.

What chords are used in "Jump, Jive An' Wail"?

This arrangement of "Jump, Jive An' Wail" uses 20 chords: B, B7, Bb, Bdom, C#m7, C7, Db7, Db9, +12 more.

How long does it take to learn "Jump, Jive An' Wail" on piano?

2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.

Lyrics

Ba by, ba by, it looks like it’s gon na hail.

(Eb)Ba by, ba by, it looks like it’s gon na hail;

You bet ter (F7)come in side and let me (F7)teach you how to jive and wail.

Oh, you got ta jump, jive, and then you wail.

You got ta jump, jive, and then you wail.

You got ta jump, jive, and then you wail a way.

Pa pa’s in the ice box look ing for a can of ale.

(Eb)Pa pa’s in the ice box look ing for a can of ale.

Ma ma’s in the back yard (F7)learn ing how to jive and wail.

Oh, you got ta

A (Bb)wom an is a wom an and a man ain’t noth in’ but a male.

Wom an is a wom an and a man ain’t noth in’ but a (Bb)male.

One good thing a bout him; he (F7)knows how to jive and wail.

(B)Jack and Jill went up the hill to get a pail.

(E)Jack and Jill went up the hill to get a pail.

(C#m7)Jill stayed up; she wants to (F#)learn how to jive and wail.

Jump, jive, and then you wail.

You got ta jump, jive, and then you wail.

You got ta jump, jive, and then you wail a way.

You got ta jump, jive, and then you wail.

You got ta jump, jive, and then you wail a way.

Oh, you got ta jump, jive, and then you wail.

You got ta jump, jive, and then you wail.

You got ta jump, jive, and then you wail a way.

Oh, you got ta

Jump, Jive An' Wail by The Brian Setzer Orchestra

2 people have learned this song

Easy piano arrangement in the key of Eb at 120 BPM. Difficulty: medium. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.

Teacher’s notes

This arrangement is a fantastic workout for your dominant-seventh voicings — you'll cycle through Eb7, Db7, B7, F7, and more, so getting comfortable with those four-note shapes across multiple root positions is priority one.

Your left hand drives a walking bass line, which at 120 BPM needs to feel loose and swung, not rigid, so start at around 80 BPM hands-separate until that bass sits in a steady groove.

Once it's solid, layer in your right-hand chords, paying close attention to the transitions between Eb and the B/F#7 areas — those are big positional jumps that'll trip you up if you haven't mapped the fingering in advance.

Loop those trouble spots ten times slowly before running the full chart.

The biggest stumbling point is rushing the swing feel when chords change fast, so keep your foot tapping steady eighths.

This is the piece that'll make dominant sevenths feel like home under your fingers.

About “Jump, Jive An' Wail”

What key is "Jump, Jive An' Wail" in?: "Jump, Jive An' Wail" by The Brian Setzer Orchestra is in the key of Eb with a tempo of 120 BPM. Difficulty: medium.
Is "Jump, Jive An' Wail" easy to play on piano?: This arrangement is rated medium. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.
Can I play "Jump, Jive An' Wail" without reading sheet music?: Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.
What chords are used in "Jump, Jive An' Wail"?: This arrangement of "Jump, Jive An' Wail" uses 20 chords: B, B7, Bb, Bdom, C#m7, C7, Db7, Db9, +12 more.
How long does it take to learn "Jump, Jive An' Wail" on piano?: 2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.