Other arrangements of The Hanging Tree
Pick a learning view.
Are (CN.C.)you, are you
com ing to the tree?
They strung up a man they say who mur dered three.
Strange things did hap pen here, no strang er would it be if we (A5)met at mid night in the hang ing tree.
Are you, are you com ing to the tree?
Where dead man called out (Am)for his love to flee.
Strange things did (Asus)hap pen here, no strang er would it be if we (F)met at mid night in the hang ing tree.
Are you, are you com ing to the tree?
Where I told you to run so we’d both be free.
(A5)Strange things did (F)hap pen here, no (A5)strang er would it (Asus)be if we (Am)met at (Asus2)mid night (A5)in the hang ing tree.
Are (A7)you, are (Asus)you (Am)com ing to the (E5)tree?
Wear a (Am)neck lace of (D5)hope
(G5)side by side with (A5)me.
(A7)Strange things did (F)hap pen here, no (A5)strang er would it (D)be if we (A5)met at (D5)mid night (E5)in the hang ing (A5)tree.
Are you, are (D5)you
(A5)com ing to the (E)tree?
Where I (Am)told you to (Dm)run so (G)we’d both be (Am)free.
Strange things did (F)hap pen here, no (Am)strang er would it (D)be if we (Am)met at (Dm)mid night (E5)in the hang ing (A5)tree.
Are (Am)you, are (Dm)you
(Am)com ing to the (E)tree?
Where they (Am)strung up a (Dm)man they (G)say who mur dered (Am)three.
Strange things did (F)hap pen here, no (Am)strang er would it (D)be if we (Am)met at (Dm)mid night (E5)in the hang ing (Am)tree.
Are you, are (Dm)you
(Am)com ing to the (E)tree?
(Am)Dead man (Dm)called out (G)for his love to (Am)flee.
Strange things did (F)hap pen here, no (Am)strang er would it (D)be if we (Am)met at (Dm)mid night (E5)in the hang ing (Am)tree.
Ah.
(Am)Ah.
(Am)Ah.
(G)Ah.
Ah.
(Am)Ah.
Ah.
(Am)Ah.
Ah.
(Am)Ah.
Ah.
(G)Ah.
The Hanging Tree — Easy Piano Notes for Beginners
10 people have learned this song
Learn "The Hanging Tree" 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, 100 BPM.
This arrangement sits in C but leans heavily on minor and suspended chords—Am, Dm, Asus2, Asus4, Esus4—so your right hand needs to get comfortable shifting between natural and suspended shapes without hesitating.
At 100 BPM the tempo is moderate, but the dramatic mood depends on you keeping steady time, so start hands-separate and slower (around 70 BPM) until the chord changes feel automatic.
Your left hand follows a pedal bass pattern, which means you'll often hold or repeat a single low note while your right hand moves through several chords above it; the challenge is resisting the urge to lift your left hand every time your right hand shifts.
Watch the transitions into A7 and E7 especially—those dominant-seventh voicings pop up briefly and can trip you up if you haven't isolated them a few times.
Loop the sections where power chords (Apow, Dpow, Gpow) build intensity, because nailing that dynamic lift is what makes the piece feel cinematic.
This is a fantastic song for training your ear to hear how suspended chords resolve, a skill that will serve you in dozens of pieces ahead.
Try other practice modes:
About “The Hanging Tree”
- Can I play "The Hanging Tree" 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 Hanging Tree" is playable in minutes, even for first-time players.
- What key is "The Hanging Tree" by James Newton Howard played in?
- The Hanging Tree 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 Hanging Tree"?
- The arrangement plays at 100 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "The Hanging Tree" 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 Hanging Tree"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "The Hanging Tree"?
- "The Hanging Tree" was originally performed by James Newton Howard. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "The Hanging Tree"?
- This arrangement uses 17 chords: A7, Am, Apow, Asus2, Asus4, C, D, Dm, +9 more.
- What other songs by James Newton Howard can I play here?
- Try "It's Deserted". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Can a complete beginner play "The Hanging Tree"?
- 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 Hanging Tree" is perfect for first-time players.
- Do I need to read music to play "The Hanging Tree"?
- 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 Hanging Tree" in minutes, even if you've never touched a piano before.
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