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Cry Me A River: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Arthur Hamilton
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 85 BPM
- 1953
- Medium
Cry Me A River written out as piano music: the vi – IV – vi – vi7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – vii7 – III7 loop in Eb major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays pausing footsteps (root bass · 1 · 2 · 3) and the right hand rocking thirds.
Cry Me A River chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in Eb major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cm | vi | C Eb G |
| 1 | Ab | IV | Ab C Eb |
| 2 | Cm | vi | C Eb G |
| 2 | Cm7 | vi7 | C Eb G Bb |
| 3 | Fm7 | ii7 | F Ab C Eb |
| 3 | Bb7 | V7 | Bb D F Ab |
| 4 | Ebmaj7 | Imaj7 | Eb G Bb D |
| 4 | Dm7 | vii7 | D F A C |
| 4 | G7 | III7 | G B D F |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: pausing footsteps (root bass · 1 · 2 · 3) in the left hand and rocking thirds in the right, over the Cm – Ab – Cm – Cm7 – Fm7 – Bb7 – Ebmaj7 – Dm7 – G7 chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about Cry Me A River
Does the sheet music for Cry Me A River have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Cry Me A River?
The loop is Cm – Ab – Cm – Cm7 – Fm7 – Bb7 – Ebmaj7 – Dm7 – G7 (vi – IV – vi – vi7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – vii7 – III7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is Cry Me A River in?
Eb major, at about 85 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Cry Me A River?
Pausing footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Cry Me A River easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 9 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of Cry Me A River?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 5 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.