Other arrangements of Cortez The Killer
Pick a learning view.
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 — Classic Piano Sheet Music
13 people have learned this song
Read "Cortez The Killer" by Neil Young in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of E. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 112 BPM.
Tip: Use the speed control to practice at 70% tempo first. Focus on tricky chord transitions before attempting the full arrangement.
Try other practice modes:
About “Cortez The Killer”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Cortez The Killer"?
- Yes — the score is rendered server-side from the publisher MusicXML using Verovio (the same engine RISM and OpenScore use). Standard piano notation, treble + bass staves, real chord symbols, key signature E. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
- What key is "Cortez The Killer" by Neil Young played in?
- Cortez The Killer is arranged in the key of E on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Cortez The Killer"?
- The arrangement plays at 112 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Cortez The Killer" easy to play on piano?
- This is a medium-difficulty arrangement. Most players can learn it within a few practice sessions using the speed control.
- Can I download sheet music for "Cortez The Killer"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Cortez The Killer"?
- "Cortez The Killer" was originally performed by Neil Young. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Cortez The Killer"?
- This arrangement uses 4 chords: Am7, C, D, Em7. Only a handful of chords — beginner-friendly.
- What other songs by Neil Young can I play here?
- Try "OLD MAN", "DOWN BY THE RIVER", "OUT ON THE WEEKEND". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
- Yes — "Cortez The Killer" is rendered at engraver quality (the Verovio engine, the same toolkit RISM and OpenScore editions use) from the original publisher MusicXML. You get standard piano notation: treble + bass clefs, key signature E, time signature, beams, dynamics — everything a printed sheet music book would have. Great for piano students learning to read music properly.
- What's the difference between Sheet Music and the other modes here?
- Sheet Music is the "classic" view — the one your piano teacher uses. Other modes (Beginner, Fall Down, Simple Sheet, Lead Sheet) trade real notation for color-coded notes and falling shapes to help absolute beginners. Use Sheet Music once you're ready to read both hands at once from real notation.
- Can I practice from this view at my own pace?
- Yes — slow the tempo from 112 BPM down (or up) without changing the pitch. The score scrolls in time and the currently playing note is highlighted, so you can drill a tough bar at half speed and bump it up once it feels comfortable.
- Why can I click a note in the score?
- Every notehead is interactive. Click and the audio jumps to that moment so you can drill a specific phrase or bar instead of replaying from the top. The currently playing note is highlighted as the music advances so your eye never loses its place.
- Can I download the sheet music as a PDF?
- Yes — Sheet Music PDF is one of the download formats for this song. The engraved score prints page-perfect on A4 / Letter so you can practice from paper as well as on screen.