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 — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along
26 people have learned this song
Free karaoke for "The Hanging Tree" by James Newton Howard: lyrics on screen with the chords above each line and a bouncing ball that lands on every word in time. Sing along, or play along on guitar or piano from the chord chart. Change the key to fit your voice, slow the tempo down. 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”
- 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.
- Is there a karaoke version of "The Hanging Tree" with lyrics?
- Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "The Hanging Tree" by James Newton Howard. The lyrics appear on screen a line at a time and each word lights up exactly when it's sung, with a bouncing ball leading you word to word. A backing plays underneath so you can just sing.
- Does it show chords so I can play along on guitar or piano?
- It does — a chord symbol sits on a thin row just above the lyric it changes on, so the same screen doubles as a lyrics-and-chords chart. Guitarists can strum the changes and pianists can comp while singing; the chords are colour-coded and move with the live transpose if you change key.
- Can I change the key of "The Hanging Tree" to match my voice or capo?
- Yes. The original is in C, but the live transpose control shifts the whole song up or down semitones until the melody sits in your range (or maps to an easier guitar shape / capo position) — the on-screen chords and the backing move with it.
- Can I slow "The Hanging Tree" down to learn the words and chords?
- Yes — the tempo control lets you take it as slow as you need while the lyrics still light up in time and the ball keeps you on the beat. Speed it back up once you can sing and play it through.