Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word

by Elton John
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Sing this song instead — backing track for “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word”
Backing track + lyrics — toggle the vocal, change the key, practice singing over piano.

Other arrangements of Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word

Pick a learning view or switch to the backing-track version.

Sheet MusicBar NotationSimple SheetLead SheetKaraoke · LyricsEasy NotesFalling Notes
Also available as a piano backing track
Sheet Music · BackingBar Notation · BackingKaraoke · LyricsFalling Notes · Backing
Lyrics

What have I got to do to make you love me?

What have I got to do to (F7)make you care?

What do I do when light ning strikes me

and I wake to find that (F7)you’re not (Bb)there?

What do I do to make you want me?

What have I got to do (F7)to be heard?

What do I say when it’s all o ver,

and (F)sor ry seems to be the (F7)hard est word?

It’s sad,

so sad.

It’s a sad, sad (C)sit u a tion,

and it’s get ting (D)more and more ab surd.

It’s sad,

so sad.

Why can’t we talk it o ver?

Oh, it seems to me

that (Cm)sor ry seems to be the hard est word.

do I do to make you love me?

What have I got to do to be heard?

What do I do when light ning (Cm)strikes me?

(Adim)What have I got to do?

(Gm)What have I got to do

when (Adim)sor ry seems to be the hard est (Gm)word?

Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word — Classic Piano Sheet Music

10 people have learned this song

Read "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" by Elton John in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of Eb. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 120 BPM.

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

Try other practice modes:

Falling NotesBeginnerLead SheetBar SheetSimple SheetKaraoke

About “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word”

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word"?
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 Eb. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
What key is "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" by Elton John played in?
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word is arranged in the key of Eb on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word"?
The arrangement plays at 120 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" 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 "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word"?
"Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" was originally performed by Elton John. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What other songs by Elton John can I play here?
Try "SOMEONE SAVED MY LIFE TONIGHT", "CROCODILE ROCK", "BURN DOWN THE MISSION". 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 — "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" 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 Eb, 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 120 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.