Smooth Operator

by Sade
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Lyrics

He’s (Dm7)laugh ing with an oth er girl and play ing

with an (Dm7)oth er heart;

(Dm7)plac ing high stakes, mak ing hearts ache.

He’s (Dm7)loved in sev en lan guag es.

Dia mond nights and ru by lights

high in the sky,

heav en help him

when he falls.

(Dm7)Dia mond life,

(Dm7)lov er boy,

he (Dm7)move in space with (Gm7)min i mum waste and (Dm7)max i mum joy.

(Dm7)Cit y lights

and (Dm7)busi ness nights,

when (Dm7)you re quire street (Gm7)car de sire for (Dm7)high er heights.

No place for be (Am7)gin ners or sen si tive (Dm7)hearts,

when sen ti (Am7)ment ’ries is left in to (Dm7)chance,

no place to be (Am7)end ing but some where to (Dm7)start.

No need to ask he’s a (Dm7)smooth op er (Am7)a tor,

(Dm7)smooth

(Am7)op er (Gm7)a tor,

(Dm7)smooth op er (Am7)a tor,

(Dm7)smooth

(Am7)op er (Gm7)a tor.

(Dm7)Coast to coast, L.

A.

to Chi (Am7)ca go, (Dm7)west ern male.

A (Dm7)cross the north and south to Key (Am7)Lar go, (Dm7)love for sale.

(Dm7)Face to face

each (Dm7)clas sic case,

we (Dm7)shad ow box and (Gm7)dou ble cross yet (Dm7)need the chase.

A li cence to (Am7)love, ners in sur ance to (Dm7)hold,

melt all your (Am7)mem ’ries and change in to (Dm7)gold,

his eyes are like (Am7)an gels but his heart is (Dm7)cold.

No need to ask he’s a (Dm7)smooth op er (Am7)a tor,

(Dm7)smooth

(Am7)op er (Gm7)a tor,

(Dm7)smooth op er (Am7)a tor,

(Dm7)smooth

(Am7)op er (Gm7)a tor.

(Dm7)Coast to coast, L.

A.

to Chi (Am7)ca go, (Dm7)west ern male.

A (Dm7)cross the north and south to Key (Am7)Lar go, (Dm7)love for sale.

(Dm7)love for sale.

Smooth Operator — Classic Piano Sheet Music

28 people have learned this song

Read "Smooth Operator" by Sade in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of C. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 110 BPM.

Tip: Use the speed control to practice at 70% tempo first. Focus on tricky chord transitions before attempting the full arrangement.

About “Smooth Operator

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Smooth Operator"?
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 C. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
What key is "Smooth Operator" by Sade played in?
Smooth Operator 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 "Smooth Operator"?
The arrangement plays at 110 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "Smooth Operator" easy to play on piano?
This is a medium-difficulty arrangement. Most players can learn it within a few practice sessions using the speed control.
Can I download sheet music for "Smooth Operator"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "Smooth Operator"?
"Smooth Operator" was originally performed by Sade. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "Smooth Operator"?
This arrangement uses 6 chords: Am7, Dm7, Em7, G, Gm7, Gsus4.
What other songs by Sade can I play here?
Try "NO ORDINARY LOVE", "THE SWEETEST TABOO", "BY YOUR SIDE". 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 — "Smooth Operator" 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 C, 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 110 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.

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