Free Piano Sheet Music PDF for Beginners
Boil'em Cabbage Down

This free piano sheet music PDF for beginners has a popular history as a fiddle & guitar tune. For beginning piano, it makes a rambunctious, easy duet!

Please scroll down the page for the download links.

Oh my goodness, this looks like a PLAIN melody.  The same notes over and over, and not even any lyrics to grab ahold of!

Doesn't matter - this little piece is FUN.

*Listen to Klaire & Klay playing Boil'em Cabbage Down*

(You may have seen this sister and brother team before, in a video of Shortnin' Bread they did one day during lessons.)

Have a listen to a fabulous fiddle rendition - the actual melody doesn't start until 1:22 into the video:

It's a lead sheet - but the chords are for a partner

Though this piece can function as a solo, it's way more fun and satisfying as a duet.  But don't start your student with the melody...

Focus on the chords first

This is one of those songs where open chords give us the kind of sound we want.  They also provide a "bounce" effect!

What IS an open chord?

Instead of forming triads (tri = three, like triangle, tripod, tricycle, I like to tell students), we use plain 2-note chords.

Thus, a C chord would be formed with fingers 1 and 5 on c and g (for the right hand), or fingers 5 and 1 on c and g (for the left hand).  My students learn to do this open chord right along with their earliest scales.

I'm giving this song the same treatment as Star of the County Down, where the left-right, left-right open chords of the secondo part impart great ENERGY. 

And excitement!  I was so surprised to hear a little boy shout, "This is fun!" last week after multiple repetitions of the chord pattern (while I played the simple melody).  Haha - he even like the chords as a "solo".  His enthusiasm made me decide to try the same piece with other beginners, and they like it too.

The meaning of the forward slashes

As you might expect, the slash marks are just rhythm indications for the chords.  Kids will grasp this right away, especially if you point at each slash with pen, pencil, or finger as you move along.

Start with one hand only

The pattern is the same for each chord - 4 strikes - until the last line, then it is 2 quick strikes each for the C & G penultimate chords.

(Please do have a look at the page Star of the County Down for sheet music examples of how to do the chords here in Boil'em Cabbage Down.)

Ideas for presenting Boil'em Cabbage Down

My suggestions for teaching this song:

1. Play it through yourself, with melody and accompanying chords, as fast as you can.
2. Demonstrate to them JUST THE CHORDS, with your free hand pointing to the chord symbols as you play.
3. Invite them to try the chords ( with one hand only - it doesn't matter which hand!) - play the chords with them.
4. Repeat, but this time play the MELODY as they play the chords.
5. Now show them how the chords look if you split them between the two hands: Left-right, left-right, left-right, left-right.  BUT DON'T TELL THEM what you're doing.  Ask them, "What's different?  Can you tell?"
6. Invite them to try.  They will LOVE it.
7. Play the melody as they play the chords.
8. Finally, give them a try at the melody.  See how much they can figure out on their own.

No fingering

I decided not to suggest any fingering in this piece.  That worked well, because some of my students benefitted from the extra power of a reinforced finger 3 - like a doughnut shape.  Their hand can take on the speed and power of a drumstick.  See the little song "Dipping Donuts" for an explanation of this hand shape.

I think you will have fun with this little duet!

The link for the sheet music:

Free piano sheet music PDF for beginners Boil'em Cabbage Down

More 5-finger songs at Music-for-Music-Teachers:

Boil'em Cabbage Down - only 4 notes, and lots of repeated notes, with energy!

Cat Came Back (easiest version) - with fun-to-sing lyrics, many verses!

Erie Canal - Part I has only 5 notes, but is a satisfying introduction to this song

Fuzzy Wuzzy - cute and short!

Go Tell Aunt Rhody

God is So Good - a sweet melody with sweet words

Jingle Bells - every child knows this one

Mary Had a Little Lamb - a song with many uses!

Ode to Joy, the famous tune by Beethoven

Pizza Please (Hot Cross Buns) - 3 notes, arranged for each hand

Sharks (3 notes, for left hand) - this is like the Jaws theme song

Snake Charmer - with fun lyrics and a mysterious minor melody

Tarantelle - the spider dance, with silly lyrics about tarantulas

When the Saints Go Marching In - with several arrangements!