Rhymes And Reasons

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

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Lyrics

So you (F)speak to me of (C)sad ness and the (Bb)com ing of the (F)win ter, The (Dm)fear that is with (Am)in you now that (Bb)seems to nev er (C)end.

And the (F)dreams that have es (C)caped you and a (Bb)hope that you’ve for (F)got ten.

And you (Dm)tell me that you (F)need me now and you (C)want to be my friend.

And you (Bb)won der where we’re go ing.

Where’s the (F)rhyme and where’s the (C)rea son?

And it’s (Dm)you can not ac (F)cept it is (C)here we must be gin to seek the (Gm)wis dom of the chil dren

and the (F)grace ful way of (F)flow ers in the (C)wind.

For the (F)chil dren and the (C)flow ers are my (Bb)sis ters and my (F)broth ers.

Their (Dm)laugh ter and their (Am)love li ness would (Bb)clear a cloud y (C)day.

Like the (F)mu sic of the (C)moun tains and the (Bb)col ors of the (F)rain bow, they’re a (Dm)prom ise of the (F)fu ture and the (C)bless ing of to (F)day.

Oh, the (C)free.

For the (F)chil dren and the (C)flow ers are my (Bb)sis ters and my (F)broth ers.

Their (Dm)laugh ter and their (Am)love li ness would (Bb)clear a cloud y (C)day.

And the (F)song that I am (Bb)sing ing is a (Gm)prayer to non be (F)liev ers.

(Dm)Come and stand be (F)side us.

We can (C)find a bet ter (Bb)way.

Rhymes And Reasons — Classic Piano Sheet Music

1 person has learned this song

Read "Rhymes And Reasons" by John Denver in classic piano notation — 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 160 BPM.

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

About “Rhymes And Reasons”

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Rhymes And Reasons"?
Yes — 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 "Rhymes And Reasons" by John Denver played in?
Rhymes And Reasons 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 "Rhymes And Reasons"?
The arrangement plays at 160 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "Rhymes And Reasons" 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 "Rhymes And Reasons"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "Rhymes And Reasons"?
"Rhymes And Reasons" was originally performed by John Denver. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What other songs by John Denver can I play here?
Try "Rocky Mountain High", "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", "Follow Me". 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 — "Rhymes And Reasons" 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 — 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 — 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 — slow the tempo from 160 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 — 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.