Be on my side, I’ll (A)be on your side, ba by; there is no rea son for (A)you to hide.
It’s so hard for me stay ing here all a lone
when you could be tak ing me for a ride,
yeah, (Bm)yeah.
She could drag me o ver the rain bow
and send me a way.
Down (D)by the riv (A)er,
I (D)shot my ba (A)by.
Down (D)by the riv (A)er,
(Em7)dead,
ooh,
shot her dead.
You take my hand, I’ll (A)take your hand,
to geth er we may get a (A)way.
This much mad ness is too much sor row,
it’s im pos si ble to (A)make it to day,
(Cmaj7)yeah,
oh, (Bm)oh, yeah.
She could drag me o ver the rain bow
and send me a way.
Down (D)by the riv (A)er,
I (D)shot my ba (A)by.
Down (D)by the riv (A)er,
(Em)dead,
dead, ooh,
(Em7)ooh, shot her dead,
shot her dead.
riv (A)er.
Down (D)by the riv (A)er,
I (D)shot my ba (A)by.
Down (D)by the riv (A)er,
I (D)shot my ba (A)by.
Down By The River by Neil Young
16 people have learned this song
Easy piano arrangement in the key of D at 90 BPM. Difficulty: medium. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.
About “Down By The River”
- What key is "Down By The River" in?
- "Down By The River" by Neil Young is in the key of D with a tempo of 90 BPM. Difficulty: medium.
- Is "Down By The River" 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 "Down By The River" 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 "Down By The River"?
- This arrangement of "Down By The River" uses 8 chords: A, Bm, C, Cmaj7, D, Em, Em7, G.
- How long does it take to learn "Down By The River" 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", "OUT ON THE WEEKEND", "DON'T LET IT BRING YOU DOWN". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.