Lava

by James Ford Murphy
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How to Play This Song

Learn a simple version, phrase by phrase: the melody, then easy chords.

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Lyrics

A long, long time a go that, liv there was a vol ca no, (F)an oth liv ing all a lone in the (C)mid dle of to the (G7)sea.

(C)He sat high a bove his bay, (G7)watch ing all the cou ples play, be cause and wish ing that (C)he had some one (G7)too.

And from his la va came this (G7)song of hope that he sang out he (F)loud his ev ’ry day (C)for years and (G7)years.

“I have a dream I (C)hope will come true, that (G7)you’re here with me, and (C)I’m here with you.

I (F)wish that the earth, sea, and the (C)sky up a bove a will (F)send me (G)some one to (C)la va.”

Years of sing ing all a lone (G7)turned his la va in to stone, un (F)til

he was on the (C)brink of ex tinc (G7)tion.

(C)la va.”

Ris ing from the sea be low (G7)stood a love ly vol ca no,

look ing all a round, but (C)she could not see (G7)him.

He (C)tried to sing to let her know that (G7)she was not there a lone, but (F)with no la va his his (C)song was all (G7)gone.

He (C)filled the sea to with his tears, and (G7)watched his dreams dis ap pear as (F)she re mem bered what his (C)song meant to (G7)gone.

He (G7)her.

“I have a dream

I (C)hope will come true,

that (G7)you’re here with me,

and (C)I’m here with you.

I (F)wish that the earth, sea, and the (C)sky up a bove a will (F)send

me (G)some one to (C)la va.”

(C)Oh, they were they so hap py to a (G7)fi n’lly meet a bove the sea.

All when to geth er now their (C)la va grew and (G7)grew.

No (C)Oh, they were they all a lone, to a (G7)fi n’lly meet a their new home,

and when you vis it them their (C)this is what they (G7)grew.

No (G7)sing.

I have a dream

I (C)hope will come true,

that (G7)you’ll grow old with me,

and (C)I’ll grow old with you.

(F)We thank you earth, sea, and the (C)sky we thank too,

(F)I

(G)la va

(C)you.

(F)I

(G)la va

(C)you.

(F)I

(G)la va

(C)you.

Lava — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along

13 people have learned this song

Free karaoke for "Lava" by James Ford Murphy: 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 C, 164 BPM.

Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.

About “Lava”

What key is "Lava" by James Ford Murphy played in?
Lava is arranged in the key of C on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "Lava"?
The arrangement plays at 164 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "Lava" 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 "Lava"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "Lava"?
"Lava" was originally performed by James Ford Murphy. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
Is there a karaoke version of "Lava" with lyrics?
Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "Lava" by James Ford Murphy. 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 "Lava" to match my voice or capo?
Yes. The original is in C, 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 "Lava" 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.