What key is "Bury Me Beneath The Willow" in?

"Bury Me Beneath The Willow" by Traditional is in the key of A with a tempo of 80 BPM. Difficulty: medium.

Is "Bury Me Beneath The Willow" easy to play on piano?

This arrangement is rated medium. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.

Can I play "Bury Me Beneath The Willow" without reading sheet music?

Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.

How long does it take to learn "Bury Me Beneath The Willow" on piano?

2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.

What other songs by Traditional can I play here?

Try "DECK THE HALLS", "WE SHALL OVERCOME", "WORRIED MAN BLUES". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.

Lyrics

My heart is sad and I am lone ly, think ing of the one I love.

I know I nev er more shall see him till we met in heav’n a bove.

So bur y me be neath the wil low; ’Neath the weep ing wil low tree.

And when he knows where I am sleep ing, then per haps he’ll weep for me.

They told me that he loved an oth er, I could not be lieve them true

un til an an gel soft ly whis pered, “he has proved his love un true.”

So bur y me be neath the wil low, ’neath the weep ing wil low tree,

and when he knows where I am sleep ing then per haps he’ll weep for me.

To mor row was to be our wed ding Lord, oh Lord where can he be?

He’s gone a way to wed an oth er; he no lon ger cares for me.

So bur y me, oh bur y me

’neath the weep ing wil low tree

And when he knows where I am sleep ing, then per haps he’ll weep,

weep,

for me.

Bury Me Beneath The Willow by Traditional

2 people have learned this song

Easy piano arrangement in the key of A at 80 BPM. Difficulty: medium. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.

Teacher’s notes

This arrangement is a great way to develop your Alberti bass technique in a musically meaningful context — your left hand will cycle through broken chord patterns (root-fifth-third-fifth) that need to stay smooth and even at 80 BPM, so start by practicing that hand alone until the rolling motion feels automatic.

In the key of A, you'll be working primarily with A, D, and E chord shapes, and the trickiest moment is usually the transition from D back to A, where your left hand has to resettle quickly without stumbling over the bass pattern.

Keep your wrist relaxed and your fingers close to the keys to make those jumps cleaner.

Your right hand carries a vocal-style melody that breathes naturally, so resist the urge to rush through phrase endings — give the longer notes their full value and let the sadness sit.

I'd suggest looping the first verse hands-separate, then combining at half tempo before bringing it up to speed.

This piece will genuinely solidify your ability to keep an Alberti bass steady while shaping an expressive melody on top, which is a skill you'll use in countless songs going forward.

About “Bury Me Beneath The Willow”

What key is "Bury Me Beneath The Willow" in?: "Bury Me Beneath The Willow" by Traditional is in the key of A with a tempo of 80 BPM. Difficulty: medium.
Is "Bury Me Beneath The Willow" easy to play on piano?: This arrangement is rated medium. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.
Can I play "Bury Me Beneath The Willow" without reading sheet music?: Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.
How long does it take to learn "Bury Me Beneath The Willow" on piano?: 2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.
What other songs by Traditional can I play here?: Try "DECK THE HALLS", "WE SHALL OVERCOME", "WORRIED MAN BLUES". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.