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, won’t you (Bb)let us wan der,
(Gm)let us hold each oth er?
(F)Lone ly wa ter,
lone ly wa ter, won’t 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, won’t you (Bb)let us wan der,
(Gm)let us hold each oth er?
(F)Lone ly wa ter,
lone ly wa ter, won’t you (Bb)let us wan der,
(Gm)let us hold each oth er?
(Gm)let us hold each oth er?
Hold Back The River — Falling Notes Piano Tutorial
3 people have learned this song
Watch "Hold Back The River" by James Bay in falling notes style — like Synthesia. Color-coded notes fall onto the keyboard in real time. Practice left hand, right hand, or both. Key of Bb, 120 BPM.
This arrangement is a great way to build confidence playing in B♭ 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 — 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 B♭-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 — 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 “Hold Back The River”
- Can I learn "Hold Back The River" with falling notes like Synthesia?
- Yes — Falling Notes mode shows colored note shapes dropping onto a virtual keyboard, the same visual style as Synthesia or piano-tile games. Each note's column matches the piano key you press. Works for "Hold Back The River" with hands-separate practice in Bb at 120 BPM.
- 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 — 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 — 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.
- Can I practice left and right hand separately for "Hold Back The River"?
- Yes! Our Top Down mode lets you isolate the left hand (bass clef), right hand (treble clef), or play both together. This makes it easy to master "Hold Back The River" one hand at a time before combining them.
- What is falling notes style for "Hold Back The River"?
- Falling notes (also known as Synthesia or piano waterfall) shows color-coded rectangles falling from the top of the screen onto a virtual keyboard. Each note's position matches the piano key you need to press. "Hold Back The River" is in the key of Bb at 120 BPM.
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