Other arrangements of Stay Alive
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(G)There is a rhy thm and (D)rush these (Em)days
where the lines don’t move and the (D)col ors don’t (C)fade.
(G)Leaves you emp ty, with (D)noth ing but (Em)dreams,
in a world gone shal low, in a (D)world gone (C)mean.
(G)Some times there’s things a man can not (Em)know;
the gears won’t turn and the (D)leaves won’t (C)grow;
there’s (G)no place to run and no gas o (Em)line;
en gine won’t turn and the (D)train won’t (C)leave,
(Em7)en gines won’t turn and the (D)train won’t (C)leave.
(G)I will stay with you to (C)night,
(D)hold you close ’til the (Em)morn ing (Am11)light.
In the (G)morn ing, watch the new day rise.
We (D)do what ev er just to (Em7)stay a (Am11)live,
we (D)do what ev er just to (Em)stay a (C)live.
Well, the (G)way I feel is the way I ride,
(Em7)rac ing like the thoughts of a (D)man who (C)lies;
but (G)there is a truth, and it’s on our side:
(Em7)dawn is com ing; (D)o pen your (C)eyes.
(Em11)Look in to the sun as the (D)new days (C)rise.
And (G)I will (Am)wait for (G)you to (C)night.
You’re (D)here for ev er and you’re (Em7)by my (A7sus)side.
(G)I’ve been wait ing all my life.
I can (D)feel your heart as it’s (Em7)keep ing (Am11)time.
We (D)do what ev er just to (Em7)stay a (C6/9)live.
(G5)Dawn is com ing; (Dsus)o pen your eyes.
(G5)Dawn is com ing; (Dsus)o pen your eyes.
(G5)Dawn is com ing; (Dsus)o pen your eyes.
(G5)Dawn is com ing; (Dsus)o pen your eyes.
(G5)Look in to the sun (G5)as the (Dsus)new days (Em7)rise.
(G)There is a rhy thm and (D)rush these (Em7)days
where the lines don’t move and the (D)col ors don’t (C)fade.
(G)Leaves you emp ty, with (D)noth ing but (Em7)dreams,
in a world gone shal low, in a (D)world gone (C)mean.
(G)There is a truth, and it’s on our side.
Dawn is com ing; (D)o pen your (C)eyes.
(Em)Look in to the sun as the (D)new days (C)rise.
Stay Alive — Classic Piano Sheet Music
153 people have learned this song
Read "Stay Alive" by Jose Gonzalez in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of G. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 66 BPM.
This arrangement is a wonderful exercise in sustaining a melancholic, quiet intensity — the 66 BPM tempo feels slow until you realize your left hand needs to voice fourteen distinct chord shapes cleanly, including some stretchy ones like Cmaj9 and Dsus4 that demand careful finger placement.
Start hands-separate: get your left hand comfortable moving between Em7, Cmaj9, and C6 shapes before adding the right-hand melody, because those extended chords will fall apart if you're rushing to find them.
Watch the A7-to-Am transition especially — the voicing shift is small but easy to fumble if your thumb isn't anchored.
Use light sustain pedal to connect the ballad phrasing, but lift cleanly on each chord change so the extensions don't blur into mud.
Loop the trickiest four-bar phrases at half tempo until the shapes feel automatic, then bring it up to speed.
This is the piece that will genuinely build your confidence with color chords beyond basic triads — once Cmaj9 sits naturally under your hand, you'll reach for it in everything you play.
Try other practice modes:
About “Stay Alive”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Stay Alive"?
- 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 G. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
- What key is "Stay Alive" by Jose Gonzalez played in?
- Stay Alive is arranged in the key of G on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Stay Alive"?
- The arrangement plays at 66 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Stay Alive" 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 "Stay Alive"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Stay Alive"?
- "Stay Alive" was originally performed by Jose Gonzalez. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Stay Alive"?
- This arrangement uses 14 chords: A7, Am, Amin, C, C6, Cmaj, Cmaj9, D, +6 more.
- Is this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
- Yes — "Stay Alive" 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 G, 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 66 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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