Piano chords · Bossa beach
Holding Back The Years: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by Mick Hucknell
- C major
- 4/4
- 88 BPM
- ii–V7–ii–V7 loop
- 1985
- Easy
Holding Back The Years written out as piano music: the ii – V7 – ii – V7 loop in C major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays patient seesaw (root–fifth 1-1-1-5) and the right hand late-knock chords.
Holding Back The Years chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in C 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 | Dm | ii | D F A |
| 2 | G7 | V7 | G B D F |
| 3 | Dm | ii | D F A |
| 4 | G7 | V7 | 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: patient seesaw (root–fifth 1-1-1-5) in the left hand and late-knock chords in the right, over the Dm – G7 – Dm – 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.
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Questions about Holding Back The Years
Does the sheet music for Holding Back The Years 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 Holding Back The Years?
The loop is Dm – G7 – Dm – G7 (ii – V7 – ii – V7) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Holding Back The Years in?
C major, at about 88 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Holding Back The Years?
Patient seesaw: root–fifth 1-1-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Holding Back The Years easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.