The Calculation

by Regina Spektor
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Lyrics

You (C)went in to the kitch en cup board, ter got your self an oth er hour, (C)and you gave our think ing half of it to me.

We (C)sat there look ing at the fac es of these stran gers in the pag es (F)’til we knew them math e mat i (Am)c’lly.

They were in our (Dm7)minds

un til for ev er.

But we did n’t (Dm7)mind;

we did n’t know (G)bet ter.

So we (C)made our own the kitch com pu board, ter out of mac a ro ni piec (C)es, and it our think ing while we lived our lives.

It (C)count ed up our feel ings and di of ed them up e ven, and it (F)called that cal cu la tion per fect (Am)love.

Did n’t e ven (Dm7)know

that love was big ger,

did n’t e ven (Dm7)know

that love n’t was (G)bet ter.

So we (G)so, so, hey, hey, hey.

Hey, this fire is burn ing, (C)burn ing us up.

Hey, this fire is burn ing, (C)burn ing us

(Dm)up.

Ooh,

ooh, ooh, ooh.

So we (C)made the hard de ci sion, and we (C)each made an in ci sion.

(C)Past our (F)mus cles and our bones, saw our hearts were lit tle stones.

Pulled them (C)out.

They weren’t beat ing, and we (C)weren’t e ven bleed ing (C)as we (F)lay them on the gran ite count er top.

We beat them up

a gainst (F)each oth er.

We beat them up

a gainst each (F)oth er.

We struck them hard

a gainst each (F)oth er.

We struck them (Dm7)so hard, so hard ’til they sparked.

Hey, this fire it’s burn ing, (C)burn ing us up.

Hey, this fire it’s burn ing, (C)burn ing us up.

Hey, this fire it’s burn ing, (C)burn ing us

(Dm)up.

Ooh,

ooh, ooh, ooh.

Ooh.

Woo,

(Bb)woo.

Woo,

woo.

Oh, oh.

The Calculation — Easy Piano Notes for Beginners

2 people have learned this song

Learn "The Calculation" on piano with easy notes — perfect for absolute beginners. Large color-coded note names show exactly which keys to press. No music reading required. Key of C, 102 BPM.

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

About “The Calculation”

Can I play "The Calculation" without reading sheet music?
Yes — Easy Notes mode prints the letter name (C, D, E…) directly on each note in big color-coded labels, so you can match colors to your keyboard without any traditional notation. The whole arrangement of "The Calculation" is playable in minutes, even for first-time players.
What key is "The Calculation" by Regina Spektor played in?
The Calculation 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 "The Calculation"?
The arrangement plays at 102 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "The Calculation" 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 "The Calculation"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "The Calculation"?
"The Calculation" was originally performed by Regina Spektor. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "The Calculation"?
This arrangement uses 8 chords: Am, Bb, C, Dm, Dm7, F, G, G7.
What other songs by Regina Spektor can I play here?
Try "FIDELITY", "DANCE ANTHEM OF THE 80'S", "EET". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Can a complete beginner play "The Calculation"?
Absolutely! The Beginner mode shows large color-coded notes with letter names (C, D, E...). Just match the colors to your keyboard — no music reading needed. "The Calculation" is perfect for first-time players.
Do I need to read music to play "The Calculation"?
No! Our Beginner mode replaces traditional notation with color-coded letter names. Each note shows exactly which key to press. You can start playing "The Calculation" in minutes, even if you've never touched a piano before.