The ULTIMATE Dancing in the Moonlight Chords And Guitar Lesson

You may not be able to tell listening to the lyrics and feel-good vibe of this tune… but it was inspired by a very traumatizing experience. 

Sherman Kelly (the lead singer and keyboard player of the band King Harvest) wrote this after he and his girlfriend were viciously attacked by a gang on the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

In this post, I’m going to break down a couple of different versions and also a famous cover by Thin Lizzy.

So grab your 6-stringer and let’s dive into this “Dancing in the Moonlight” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Dancing in the Moonlight?

"Dancing in the Moonlight" was written by Sherman Kelly in 1969. The most famous version was recorded by the band King Harvest. This band was founded by Kelly’s brother, Wells Kelly, along with his friends in France. Kelly played keyboards and sang vocals on the most widely known version of this song released in 1972.

Sherman Kelly wrote this hit after a very traumatic experience. You see, he was vacationing in the Caribbean and he and his girlfriend were attacked by a vicious gang. Kelly was severely beaten by 5 men with baseball bats. But during his recovery, he imagined a place where people could dance freely and peacefully without fear or violence. 

That became the genesis and inspiration for "Dancing in the Moonlight."

They recorded the song in 1972 at a studio in Paris. The track was produced by Jack Robinson and released as a single by Perception Records. It became a hit, reaching #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1973.

The song got a lot of radio airplay and still remains a staple of classic rock and oldies stations.

Let’s now take a look at the…

Dancing in the Moonlight Chords

To play “Dancing in the Moonlight” on guitar you’ll need to know 7 main chords Cm7, Fm7, Bb, Eb, Bb/D, Gsus4, and G. All of these chords are going to be played in closed position. (meaning no open strings). Let’s take a look at a few examples of how they could be played on the fretboard.

Cm7 is a moveable minor seven chord played from the 5th string down like this:

Fm7 is the same shape as Cm7 just shifted up the fretboard to the 8th position like this:

Bb is a bar chord played in 6th position and uses all 6 strings like this:

Eb is another common bar chord shape. I play this one on the middle strings like this:

Bb/D can be a tricky chord if you’re not used to it. I play this one on the middle strings as well like this:

Gsus4 is played on the top 4 strings like this:

Finally, we have G which just changes one note from the previous Gsus4 chord. This is a resolution and is only used in the intro of the song:

If you struggled to understand chords on the neck and navigate the fretboard for rhythm and lead then get your hands on my free fretboard guide PDF right here:

All right, if you have not yet unlocked the secret to effortless bar chords and the above 7 chord shapes are too hard. You could try this…

Dancing in the Moonlight Chords Easy

For this lesson, I place a capo on the 3rd fret. This lets you play the chords in open position. (meaning no bar chords).

All right, now that you have a solid understanding of the “Dancing in the Moonlight” chords, let’s next answer the question of…

What key is Dancing in the Moonlight in?

“Dancing in the Moonlight” as recorded by King Harvest is in the key of Eb major. The main scale for the song is the Eb major scale which uses the following notes:

Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb - C - D

There are 3 flats in the key of Eb major. All the chords in the song fit into the diatonic scale of Eb major except for the G major chord used in the intro. Here’s a quick look at how all these chords relate in the key of Eb major.

Eb (I chord): This is the tonic chord in the key of Eb major. It serves as the "home" chord and provides a sense of resolution.

Cm7 (vi chord): This is the vi chord in Eb major. It adds a minor quality and can function as a pre-dominant chord, leading smoothly to the ii (Fm7) or V (Bb).

Fm7 (ii chord): The Fm7 chord is the ii chord in the key of Eb major. As a minor subdominant chord, it typically sets up a transition to the V (Bb) or resolves to the tonic (Eb).

Bb (V chord): The Bb chord is the dominant (V) chord in Eb major. It creates tension that naturally resolves to the tonic (Eb), establishing the key's tonal center.

Bb/D (V chord in first inversion): This is the V chord (Bb) with the third (D) in the bass. It provides a smoother bass line and connects the chords more fluidly, often leading to Eb or Cm7.

Gsus4 (secondary dominant): In the context of Eb major, the Gsus4 chord can function as a secondary dominant (V/vi), adding tension that resolves to G major or G7, setting up a motion towards Cm7.

G (secondary dominant, V of vi): The G major chord acts as a secondary dominant (V of vi) in the key of Eb. It adds brightness and tension, leading toward the vi chord (Cm7). This chord is only used briefly in the intro of the tune.

So that’s the theory, but remember all that doesn’t mean a thing without a good… 

Dancing in the Moonlight Strumming Pattern And Groove

The main underlying groove for “Imagine” is a steady 8th-note pulse. This is created through a constant driving feel in the keyboard part. Kelly plays an arpeggiated part that uses a consistent and flowing 8th-note rhythm. This is essentially the motor for the song.

This can be simulated by either a subtle fingerpicking or arpeggio-picking pattern like this:

Or alternatively, you could strum like this:

(Note: keep in mind these are capo chords. However, the same idea can be applied to the bar chords as well.)

Dancing in the Moonlight Thin Lizzy Guitar Lesson

Here's another great cover of "Dancing in the Moonlight" as performed by Thin Lizzy. This version is in the key of Em,

Conclusion 

To wrap it up, “Dancing in the Moonlight” is a great example of someone taking a tragedy and flipping it into a positive.  

Keep practicing, and if you want to learn songs faster, better understand the fretboard, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide right here now:  

Jon MacLennan