What key is "Possession" in?

"Possession" by Sarah McLachlan is in the key of B with a tempo of 100 BPM. Difficulty: medium.

Is "Possession" 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 "Possession" 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 "Possession"?

This arrangement of "Possession" uses 10 chords: A, Bm, Bm7, Dmaj9, E, Em, Esus4, F#m7, +2 more.

How long does it take to learn "Possession" 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 Sarah McLachlan can I play here?

Try "ADIA", "BUILDING A MYSTERY", "WHEN SHE LOVED ME". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.

Lyrics

Lis ten as the wind blows

from a cross the (Esus)great di vide.

Voic es trapped in yearn ing,

mem ’ries trapped in (Esus)time.

The (Bm7)night is my com pan ion

and (E)sol i (Esus)tude my guide.

(G)Would I spend for ev er here

and (Esus)not be sat is fied?

And (G)I would (Bm)be the one to hold you down,

kiss you so hard.

I’ll take your breath a way.

And af ter I’d

wipe a way the tears.

Just close your eyes, dear.

(Bm)Through this world I’ve stum bled,

so (E)man y (Esus)times be trayed,

(E)try (Esus)in’ (E)to find an hon est word to find

the (Esus)truth en slaved.

(E)Oh, you (Bm)speak to me in rid dles and you (E)speak to (Esus)me in rhyme.

My (G)bod y aches to breathe your breath, your (Esus)words keep me a live.

And (G)I would (Bm)be the one

to hold you down,

kiss you so hard

I’ll take your breath a way.

And af ter I’d

wipe a way the tears.

Just close your eyes, dear.

I’ll hold you down,

kiss you so hard I’ll

take your (Bm)breath a way.

And af ter I’d

wipe a way the tears.

Just close your eyes.

Possession by Sarah McLachlan

9 people have learned this song

Easy piano arrangement in the key of B at 100 BPM. Difficulty: medium. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.

Teacher’s notes

This arrangement is a great way to build confidence with extended chord shapes — your right hand will need to voice chords like Dmaj9 and F#m7 cleanly, so spend a minute just finding those shapes and memorizing how they feel under your fingers before you play through.

Your left hand holds a pedal bass pattern, which sounds simple but demands steady, even tone while your right hand moves through ten different chords above it; the trick is keeping that left hand relaxed and anchored so it doesn't tense up during transitions.

At 100 BPM the tempo is moderate, but watch the moves between Esus4 and E — that suspension wants to resolve smoothly, not land late.

I'd suggest learning the verse loop hands-separately first, then layering them together at around 70 BPM before bringing it up to speed.

The Bm–G–A–F#m7 stretches will likely trip you up early, so loop just that passage until the jumps feel automatic.

Stick with it — this song will genuinely solidify your ability to handle jazzy extensions inside a pop ballad context, and that skill transfers everywhere.

About “Possession”

What key is "Possession" in?: "Possession" by Sarah McLachlan is in the key of B with a tempo of 100 BPM. Difficulty: medium.
Is "Possession" 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 "Possession" 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 "Possession"?: This arrangement of "Possession" uses 10 chords: A, Bm, Bm7, Dmaj9, E, Em, Esus4, F#m7, +2 more.
How long does it take to learn "Possession" 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 Sarah McLachlan can I play here?: Try "ADIA", "BUILDING A MYSTERY", "WHEN SHE LOVED ME". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.