Other arrangements of Hold Back The River
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(Dm)Tried
(C)to (F)keep
(F)you (Bb)close
(F)to me
(F)but (Bb)life
(F)got in be tween.
the sky.
But (Dm)Tried
(C)to (F)square
(F)not (Bb)be
(F)ing there
(F)but (Bb)think
(F)that I are should have been.
Hold back the riv er, let me look in your eyes.
Hold back the riv er so I
can stop for a min ute and see where you hide.
Hold back the riv er, hold back.
Hold back the riv er, let me look in your eyes.
Hold back the riv er so I
can stop for a min ute and see where you hide.
Hold back the riv er, hold back.
Hold back the riv er, let me look in your eyes.
Hold back the riv er so I
can stop for a min ute and see where you hide.
Hold back the riv er, hold back.
Hold back.
(Dm)Oh,
(C)oh, (F)oh,
(F)oh, (Bb)oh.
(F)Oh, (Bb)oh,
oh.
(F)Lone ly wa ter,
lone ly wa ter, wonβt you (Bb)let us wan der,
(Gm)let us hold each oth er?
(F)Lone ly wa ter,
lone ly wa ter, wonβt you (Bb)let us wan der,
(Gm)let us hold each oth er?
Hold back the riv er, let me look in your eyes.
Hold back the riv er so I
can stop for a min ute and be by your side.
Hold back the riv er, hold back.
Hold back the riv er, let me look in your eyes.
Hold back the riv er so I
can stop for a min ute and be by your side.
Hold back the riv er, hold back.
Hold back the riv er, hold.
(F)Lone ly wa ter,
lone ly wa ter, wonβt you (Bb)let us wan der,
(Gm)let us hold each oth er?
(F)Lone ly wa ter,
lone ly wa ter, wonβt you (Bb)let us wan der,
(Gm)let us hold each oth er?
(Gm)let us hold each oth er?
Hold Back The River β Classic Piano Sheet Music
3 people have learned this song
Read "Hold Back The River" by James Bay in classic piano notation β both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of Bb. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 120 BPM.
This arrangement is a great way to build confidence playing in Bβ major, a key many beginners shy away from but one that feels wonderfully warm once it's under your fingers.
Your left hand holds a steady pedal bass throughout, so start there β lock in that consistent, even rhythm before adding anything on top.
Your right hand cycles through familiar chord shapes like Dm, F, and Gm, but watch the Csus4-to-C resolution carefully; that suspended fourth wants to ring just a beat longer than you'd expect, and rushing it flattens the song's melancholic pull.
At 120 BPM the tempo is moderate, but the Bβ-to-Gm transition can trip you up if your thumb isn't already drifting into position.
Practice that two-chord shift slowly, hands separate, until it feels automatic.
Once you're comfortable, loop the chorus a few times and focus on keeping your left-hand pedal rock-steady underneath the chord changes β that independence between hands is the real skill this song builds, and it'll pay off in everything you play next.
Try other practice modes:
About βHold Back The Riverβ
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Hold Back The River"?
- Yes β 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 Bb. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
- What key is "Hold Back The River" by James Bay played in?
- Hold Back The River is arranged in the key of Bb on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Hold Back The River"?
- The arrangement plays at 120 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Hold Back The River" easy to play on piano?
- Yes β this is one of our beginner-friendly arrangements with simplified chords and color-coded notes.
- Can I download sheet music for "Hold Back The River"?
- Yes β registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Hold Back The River"?
- "Hold Back The River" was originally performed by James Bay. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Hold Back The River"?
- This arrangement uses 7 chords: Bb, C, Cpow, Csus4, Dm, F, Gm.
- What other songs by James Bay can I play here?
- Try "NEED THE SUN TO BREAK", "Let It Go", "Wild Love". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
- Yes β "Hold Back The River" 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 Bb, time signature, beams, dynamics β 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 β 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 β slow the tempo from 120 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 β 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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