Other arrangements of Empty Chairs
Pick a learning view.
I (G)feel the trem bling tin gle of a (Am)sleep less night
While chest Creep through my fin gers and the (G)moon is bright.
And the Beams of blue come flick ’ring through my (Am)win dow pane,
Like (C)gyp sy moths that (D7)dance a round a (G)can dle flame.
And I won der if you (Am)know
that I nev er un der (G)stood,
That al though you said you’d (Am)go,
Un (C)til you did, I (D7)nev er thought you (G)would.
(G)Moon light used to bathe the con tours (Am)of your face,
While chest nut hair fell all a round the (G)pil low case.
And the fra grance of your flow ers rest be (Am)neath my head,
A (C)sym pa thy bou (D7)quet left with a (G)love that’s dead.
And I won der if you (Am)know
that I nev er un der (G)stood,
That al though you said you’d (Am)go,
Un (C)til you did, I (D7)nev er thought you (G)would.
(G)Nev er thought the (G)words you said were (Em)true,
(Am)Nev er thought you said just what you (D7)meant.
(G)Nev er knew how (G)much I need ed (Em)you,
(Am)Nev er thought you’d (C)leave,
un til you (G)went.
(G)Morn ing comes and morn ing goes with (Am)no re gret,
And (C)eve ning brings the (D7)mem o ries I (G)can’t for get;
Emp ty rooms that ech o as I (Am)climb the stairs,
and (C)emp ty clothes that (D7)drape and fall on (G)emp ty chairs.
And I won der if you (Am)know
that I nev er un der (G)stood,
That al though you said you’d (Am)go,
Un (C)til you did, I (D7)nev er thought you (G)would.
Empty Chairs — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along
9 people have learned this song
Free karaoke for "Empty Chairs" by Don McLean: lyrics on screen with the chords above each line and a bouncing ball that lands on every word in time. Sing along, or play along on guitar or piano from the chord chart. Change the key to fit your voice, slow the tempo down. Key of G, 90 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 “Empty Chairs”
- What key is "Empty Chairs" by Don McLean played in?
- Empty Chairs is arranged in the key of G on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Empty Chairs"?
- The arrangement plays at 90 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Empty Chairs" 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 "Empty Chairs"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Empty Chairs"?
- "Empty Chairs" was originally performed by Don McLean. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Empty Chairs"?
- This arrangement uses 7 chords: Am, Am7, C, D, D7, Em, G.
- What other songs by Don McLean can I play here?
- Try "AMERICAN PIE", "CROSSROADS", "CASTLES IN THE AIR". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is there a karaoke version of "Empty Chairs" with lyrics?
- Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "Empty Chairs" by Don McLean. The lyrics appear on screen a line at a time and each word lights up exactly when it's sung, with a bouncing ball leading you word to word. A backing plays underneath so you can just sing.
- Does it show chords so I can play along on guitar or piano?
- It does — a chord symbol sits on a thin row just above the lyric it changes on, so the same screen doubles as a lyrics-and-chords chart. Guitarists can strum the changes and pianists can comp while singing; the chords are colour-coded and move with the live transpose if you change key.
- Can I change the key of "Empty Chairs" to match my voice or capo?
- Yes. The original is in G, but the live transpose control shifts the whole song up or down semitones until the melody sits in your range (or maps to an easier guitar shape / capo position) — the on-screen chords and the backing move with it.
- Can I slow "Empty Chairs" down to learn the words and chords?
- Yes — the tempo control lets you take it as slow as you need while the lyrics still light up in time and the ball keeps you on the beat. Speed it back up once you can sing and play it through.