Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
Young Americans: piano accompaniment sheet music
By David Bowie
- C major
- 2/2
- 140 BPM
- I–ii–IV–V loop
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Young Americans written out as piano music: the I – ii – IV – V loop in C major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays knocking drop (broken chord 8-8-8-5) and the right hand bossa chords.
Young Americans 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 | C | I | C E G |
| 2 | Dm | ii | D F A |
| 3 | F | IV | F A C |
| 4 | G | V | G B D |
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: knocking drop (broken chord 8-8-8-5) in the left hand and bossa chords in the right, over the C – Dm – F – G 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 Young Americans
Does the sheet music for Young Americans 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 Young Americans?
The loop is C – Dm – F – G (I – ii – IV – V) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Young Americans in?
C major, at about 140 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Young Americans?
Knocking drop: broken chord 8-8-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Young Americans 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.