Learn "CRUEL TO BE KIND" by Nick Lowe on Piano

Master "CRUEL TO BE KIND" by Nick Lowe with our interactive piano player. This easy-level Pop arrangement is in the key of C at 132 BPM, making it perfect for beginners — you can start playing in minutes.

Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo. Most beginners can play through the full song in one session.

Lyrics

Oh, I can’t take an oth er heart ache. Though you (F)say you’re my friend, and I’m at my wits’ end. You say your love is bo na fide, but that don’t co in cide down with the things that you do. And when I ask you to be nice, you say, “You got ta be (F)cruel to be (G)kind in the right (Am)meas ure.” (F)Cruel to be (G)kind; it’s a (Em)ver y good sign if (F)“cruel to be (G)kind” means that I (Am)love you, (Dm7)ba by. You (G)got ta be cruel to be kind. Well, I do my best to un der stand, dear, but you (F)still mys ti fy, and I wan na know why. I pick my self up off the ground to have you knock me back down with a gain and a gain. And when I ask you to ex plain, you say, “You got ta be (F)cruel to be (G)kind in the right (Am)meas ure.” (F)Cruel to be (G)kind; it’s a (Em)ver y good sign if (F)“cruel to be (G)kind” means that I (Am)love you, (Dm7)ba by. You (G)got ta be cruel to be kind. Well, I do Well, I (C)do my best to un der stand, dear, but you (F)still mys ti fy, and I wan na know why. I pick my self up off the ground to have you knock me (Em)back down a gain and a gain. And when I ask you to ex plain, you say, “You got ta be (G)cruel to kind in the right (Am)meas ure.” (F)Cruel to be (G)kind; it’s a (Em)ver y good sign if (F)“cruel to be (G)kind” means that I (Am)love you, (Dm7)ba by. You (G)got ta be cruel to be kind. (G)cruel to kind in the right (Am)meas ure.” (F)Cruel to be (G)kind; it’s a (Em)ver y good sign if (F)“cruel to be (G)kind” means that I (Am)love you, (Dm7)ba by. You (G)got ta be cruel to be kind.

Song Details

Category
Pop
Key
C
Tempo
132 BPM
Difficulty
easy
Artist
Nick Lowe

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How to Play "Cruel To Be Kind" on Piano

  1. 1
    Pick a practice mode — Choose from Fall Down, Beginner, Lead Sheet, Bar Sheet, or Simple Sheet — each mode visualizes the music differently to match your learning style.
  2. 2
    Practice each hand separately — Use the Left, Right, and Both buttons to isolate the bass or treble part and build muscle memory one hand at a time.
  3. 3
    Adjust speed and turn on metronome — Slow down to 50% while learning, then gradually speed up. Enable the metronome to keep steady timing.
  4. 4
    Loop a section — Select a tricky part and loop it until you nail it. Perfect for mastering difficult passages.
  5. 5
    Download sheet music — Export a PDF of the sheet music to print out and practice on your real piano anytime, anywhere.