Other arrangements of Down By The River
Pick a learning view.
You take my hand, I’ll (A)take on your side, hand, by; to geth er we may get a (A)way.
to hide.
This much mad ness is too much here sor a row,
it’s you im pos si ble to (A)make it to day,
oh, (Bm7)oh yeah.
She could drag me o ver the rain bow
and send me a (D)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 (A)dead.
Be on my side, I’ll (A)be on your side, ba by; to there is no rea son for (A)you to hide.
It’s so hard for me stay in’ here all a lone
when you could be si tak in’ (A)me for a ride,
yeah, (Bm7)yeah.
yeah.
She could drag me o ver the rain bow
and send me a (D)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 (A)dead.
Down (D)by the riv (A)er,
I (D)shot my ba (A)by.
Down By The River — Easy Piano Notes for Beginners
4 people have learned this song
Learn "Down By The River" on piano with easy notes — perfect for absolute beginners. Large color-coded note names show exactly which keys to press. No music reading required. Key of D, 86 BPM.
Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.
Try other practice modes:
About “Down By The River”
- Can I play "Down By The River" without reading sheet music?
- Yes — Easy Notes mode prints the letter name (C, D, E…) directly on each note in big color-coded labels, so you can match colors to your keyboard without any traditional notation. The whole arrangement of "Down By The River" is playable in minutes, even for first-time players.
- What key is "Down By The River" by Neil Young played in?
- Down By The River is arranged in the key of D on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Down By The River"?
- The arrangement plays at 86 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Down By The River" easy to play on piano?
- Yes — this is one of our beginner-friendly arrangements with simplified chords and color-coded notes.
- Can I download sheet music for "Down By The River"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Down By The River"?
- "Down By The River" was originally performed by Neil Young. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- 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.
- Can a complete beginner play "Down By The River"?
- Absolutely! The Beginner mode shows large color-coded notes with letter names (C, D, E...). Just match the colors to your keyboard — no music reading needed. "Down By The River" is perfect for first-time players.
- Do I need to read music to play "Down By The River"?
- No! Our Beginner mode replaces traditional notation with color-coded letter names. Each note shows exactly which key to press. You can start playing "Down By The River" in minutes, even if you've never touched a piano before.