One Short Day

by Stephen Schwartz

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Lyrics

(Ab)One short (Ab)day in the (Ab)Em er ald (Gb6/9)Cit y...

(Ab)One short (Ab)day in the (Ab)Em er ald (Ebsus)Cit y...

(Ab)One short (Ab)day in the (Ab)Em er ald (Gb)Cit y, (Ab)one short (Ab)day full of (Bbm7)so much to (Eb)do.

(Ab)Ev ’ry (Ab)way that you (Fm7)look in this (Ebsus)cit y, there’s (Ab)some thing ex (Dbsus2)qui site you’ll want to (Eb5)vis (Fm7)it be (Bbm7)fore the day’s (Ab)through!

There are (E)build ings tall as (A)quox wood trees, (B)dress sa lons, and (E9sus)li brar (E)ies.

(C)Pal ac es!

Mu (Am7)se ums!

A (D)hun dred (G)strong...

There are (G)won ders like I’ve (C)nev er seen!

(D)It’s all grand!

And (Bm7)it’s all (G)green!

I (A7sus)think we’ve found the (A7)place where we be (A)long!

(D)I wan na (Bm7)be (C)in this hoi pol (Bm7)loi,

so (Gsus)I’ll be back for (Gsus)good some day to (Csus)make my life and (C)make my way, but (Am7)for to day, we’ll (A)won der and en (Gsus)joy.

(Ab)One short (Ab)day in the (Ab)Em er ald (Gb)Cit y, (Ab)one short (Ab)day to have a (Bbm7)life time of (Eb)fun.

(Ab)One short (Ab)day, and we’re (Fm7)warn ing the (Ebsus)cit y: (Ab)New that we’re (Dbsus2)in here, you’ll know we’ve (Eb5)been (Fm7)here be (Bbm7)fore we are (E)done!

(A)One short (F#m)day (A)in the (Bm)Em er ald (E)Cit (D)y, (A)one short (F#m)day to (A)have a (D)life (D6)time (Dmaj7)of (Dm6)fun.

(A)What a (B)way to be (C#m)see ing the (D)cit y...

(Bm)Where (A)so man y (D)roam to,

(D)we’ll call it (E)home, (F#m)too.

And (Bm7)then, just like (C#7)now, we can (F)say:

We’re (D)just two (Dsus2)friends...

(E5)Two good (A)friends...

(Am)Two best

friends...

(Bm7)Shar ing a won der ful one

(Esus)short

(A)day!

One Short Day by Stephen Schwartz — Easy Piano for Kids

This page shows “One Short Day” by Stephen Schwartz in our color-coded kid songbook view — every note is colored by pitch (red C, orange D, yellow E, green F, blue G, purple A, pink B) and the lyrics sit directly under each note, so children can sing along while they play. The song is in the key of Db at 100 BPM, a slightly more challenging arrangement — practice each phrase slowly first.

Tips for parents & teachers

  • Start at 50% tempo using the BPM control. Speed up only when your child can play through without stopping.
  • Turn on the metronome from the top bar to build steady rhythm.
  • Use the segmented OFF / C / 1 button to toggle note labels on the staff and keys — kids learn note names faster with letters showing.
  • Tap a measure number on the timeline to jump to a specific section for repeat practice.

Frequently asked questions

Is "One Short Day" good for a child learning piano?
Yes — this color-coded arrangement is designed for ages 4-12. Each note is colored by pitch so kids match colors to keys, no music reading required. Lyrics sit under every note for sing-along play.
What age can start with "One Short Day"?
Children as young as 4 can follow the color-coded notes. By age 6-7 most kids can play through the song themselves with light guidance. Parent help is recommended for the first few sessions.
Do we need a piano teacher to use this?
No — the color-coded format is designed to be self-explanatory. Parents with no music background can supervise. Teachers can also use it as an introductory lesson tool.
Can we print the sheet music?
Yes — tap "Download Sheet Music" above for a free printable PDF with the same color-coded notes that appear on screen.