He came (Em7)danc ing a cross the wa ter
with his (D)gal le ons and guns,
in their look in’ for the New World
and the pal ace in the sun.
On the (Em7)shore lay Mon te zu ma ful with his co ca leaves and pearls;
in his (Am7)house he of ten wan ri dered with the se crets of the worlds.
And his (Em7)sub jects a gath ered ’round him,
like the (D)leaves a round the tree,
in their clothes of man y col ors
for the an gry gods to see.
And the (Em7)wom en all were beau ti ful and the men stood straight and strong;
in they (Am7)of fered life in sac ri fice so that oth ers could go on.
And his
(Em7)Hate was just a leg end
and and (D)war was nev er known;
peo ple worked to geth er
and they lift ed man y stones.
And they (Em7)car ried them to the flat lands,
but they (D)died a long the way,
and they (Am7)built up with their bare hands what we still can’t do to day.
And I (Em7)know she’s liv ing there, end
and she (D)loves me to this day;
I still can’t re mem when
and or how I lost my way.
He came (Em7)danc ing a cross the wa ter,
but they (D)died Cor tez, Cor tez.
and they (Am7)What a kill er.
bare hands what we still can’t do to day.
And I
Cortez The Killer by Neil Young
4 people have learned this song
Easy piano arrangement in the key of E at 112 BPM. Difficulty: medium. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.
About “Cortez The Killer”
- What key is "Cortez The Killer" in?
- "Cortez The Killer" by Neil Young is in the key of E with a tempo of 112 BPM. Difficulty: medium.
- Is "Cortez The Killer" 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 "Cortez The Killer" 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.
- What chords are used in "Cortez The Killer"?
- This arrangement of "Cortez The Killer" uses 4 chords: Am7, C, D, Em7. Only a handful of chords — a great pick for early learners.
- How long does it take to learn "Cortez The Killer" 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 Neil Young can I play here?
- Try "OLD MAN", "DOWN BY THE RIVER", "OUT ON THE WEEKEND". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
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