What key is "Kodachrome" in?

"Kodachrome" by Paul Simon is in the key of E with a tempo of 136 BPM. Difficulty: medium.

Is "Kodachrome" 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 "Kodachrome" 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 "Kodachrome"?

This arrangement of "Kodachrome" uses 14 chords: A, A7, B, B7, Bm, C#, C#m, D, +6 more.

How long does it take to learn "Kodachrome" 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 Paul Simon can I play here?

Try "Still Crazy After All These Years", "ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD", "Gone at Last". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.

Lyrics

(B7)When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school,

it’s a won der (B)I can think at (E)all.

(B)And my lack of e du ca tion has n’t hurt me none.

I can read the writ ing on the wall.

Ko da (A)chrome™,

it gives us those nice

bright col ors, it gives us the greens

of sum mers, makes you think all

the world’s a (E7)sun ny (A)day, (C#)oh yeah.

I got a Ni

kon cam era, I love to take a (A)pho to graph.

So ma ma don’t take

my (E7)Ko da chrome™ a way.

If you took all the girls I (E7)knew when I was sin gle

and brought ’em all to geth er for one night

(B)I know they’d nev er match my (E7)sweet i ma gi na tion.

And ev ’ry thing looks worse in black and (E)white.

Ko da (A)chrome™,

it gives us those nice

bright col ors, it gives us the greens

of sum mers, makes you think all

the world’s a (E7)sun ny (A)day, (C#)oh yeah.

I got a Ni

kon cam era, I love to take a (A)pho to graph.

So ma ma don’t take

my (E7)Ko da chrome™ a way.

Ma ma don’t (A)take

my (C#m)Ko da chrome™ a way.

Ma ma don’t (A)take

my (C#m)Ko da chrome™ a way.

Ma ma don’t

(A)Ma ma don’t take my Ko da chrome™ (C#m)ma ma don’t take my Ko da chrome™, (F#m)ma ma don’t take my Ko da chrome™ a way.

(A)Ma ma don’t take my Ko da chrome™.

(C#m)Leave your boy so far from home.

(F#m)Ma ma don’t take my Ko da chrome™ a way.

(A)Ma ma don’t take my Ko da chrome™.

(C#m)Leave your boy so far from home.

(F#m)Ma ma don’t take my Ko da chrome™ a way.

Kodachrome by Paul Simon

17 people have learned this song

Easy piano arrangement in the key of E at 136 BPM. Difficulty: medium. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.

Learn how to accompany it· the chords and what each hand plays, on Super Simple Chords ↗

About “Kodachrome”

What key is "Kodachrome" in?: "Kodachrome" by Paul Simon is in the key of E with a tempo of 136 BPM. Difficulty: medium.
Is "Kodachrome" 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 "Kodachrome" 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 "Kodachrome"?: This arrangement of "Kodachrome" uses 14 chords: A, A7, B, B7, Bm, C#, C#m, D, +6 more.
How long does it take to learn "Kodachrome" 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 Paul Simon can I play here?: Try "Still Crazy After All These Years", "ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD", "Gone at Last". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.