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Rhodes melody, piano & acoustic guitar.
Questions about this song
Answers from our automatic transcription. Key, tempo and chord labels may contain errors.
What key is Hey Mama by Black Eyed Peas (Ft. Tippa Irie) in?
This transcription starts in E minor.
What tempo is Hey Mama?
The estimated tempo is 100 BPM, calculated from the median spacing between detected beats. This is a summary of the transcription; timing can vary during the song.
What are the main chord progressions in Hey Mama?
Recurring four-chord sequences in this transcription include Em → Em7 → A7/5 → Em (5 occurrences); Em7 → A7/5 → Em → Em7 (3 occurrences); A7/5 → Em → Em7 → A7/5 (3 occurrences). These are exact chord-label matches within sections, not a complete harmonic analysis.
What are the relative chords in Hey Mama?
Here are a few patterns to play with: i → i7 → IV7/5 → i in E minor; i7 → IV7/5 → i → i7 in E minor; IV7/5 → i → i7 → IV7/5 in E minor. Think of Roman numerals as chord names you can take into any key. Uppercase is major, lowercase is minor; in minor keys, we count from the natural-minor scale.
Does Hey Mama use a well-known chord progression?
Yes! In E minor: The Dorian shuttle (i → IV) shows up in the chorus at 2:09 and 2:19. A minor chord rocks against a major IV: moody, but with a bright edge.
What time signature is Hey Mama in?
The transcription starts in 2/4.
How is Hey Mama structured?
The detected sections are intro (0:00) → chorus (0:09) → verse (0:38) → chorus (1:16) → verse (1:35) → chorus (1:55) → verse (2:52) → chorus (3:11).
How long is this version of Hey Mama?
The transcribed version lasts 3:34. Other recordings or edits may have a different duration.