Other arrangements of Cruel To Be Kind
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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.
Cruel To Be Kind — Classic Piano Sheet Music
2 people have learned this song
Read "Cruel To Be Kind" by Nick Lowe in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of C. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 132 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 “Cruel To Be Kind”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Cruel To Be Kind"?
- 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 C. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
- What key is "Cruel To Be Kind" by Nick Lowe played in?
- Cruel To Be Kind is arranged in the key of C on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Cruel To Be Kind"?
- The arrangement plays at 132 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Cruel To Be Kind" 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 "Cruel To Be Kind"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Cruel To Be Kind"?
- "Cruel To Be Kind" was originally performed by Nick Lowe. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Cruel To Be Kind"?
- This arrangement uses 10 chords: A, A7, Am, C, Dm, Dm7, Em, F, +2 more.
- Is this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
- Yes — "Cruel To Be Kind" 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 C, 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 132 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.
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