Other arrangements of The Hungry Years
Pick a learning view.
(A)Girl, we made it to the top, we (Dm)went so high we could n’t stop, we (A)climbed the lad der (Dm)lead ing us no (A)where.
Two of us to (D)geth er,
build ing (Dm)cas tles
in the (A)air.
We (C)spun so fast we could n’t tell the (Fm)gold ring from the car ou sel; how (C)could we know the (Fm)ride would turn out (C)bad?
Ev ’ry thing we (Am)want ed
let’s was ev ’ry thing we (G7sus)had.
I miss the hun gry (Fmaj7)years,
the once up on a (Fm)time,
the love ly long a (C)go
we did n’t have a (D9)dime:
those days of (Dm7)me and you
we (Fm)lost a long the (Cmaj7)way.
How could I be so (Fmaj7)blind
not to see the (Fm)door
clos ing on the (C)world
I now hun ger (D9)for.
Look ing through my (Dm7)tears,
I (Fm)miss the hun gry (C)years.
We (A)shared our day dreams one by one we (Dm)mak ing plans was so much fun; we (A)set our goals and (Dm)reached the high est (A)star.
Things that we were (D)af ter
we much (Dm)bet ter
from a (A)far
We (C)Here we stand just me and you with (Fm)ev ry thing and noth ing, too; it (C)was n’t worth the (Fm)price we had to (C)pay.
Hon ey, take me (Am)home, ed
let’s go back to yes ter (G7sus)day.
I miss the hun gry (Fmaj7)years,
the once up on a (Fm)time,
the love ly long a (C)go
we did n’t have a (D9)dime:
those days of (Dm7)me and you
we (Fm)lost a long the (Cmaj7)way.
How could I be so (Fmaj7)blind
not to see the (Fm)door
clos ing on the (C)world
I now hun ger (D9)for.
Look ing through my (Dm7)tears,
I (Fm)miss the hun gry (C)years.
We (C)years.
I miss the hun gry (C)years.
The Hungry Years — Easy Piano Notes for Beginners
6 people have learned this song
Learn "The Hungry Years" 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 A, 77 BPM.
This arrangement is a wonderful workout for navigating extended chords at a relaxed 77 BPM — you'll move through sixteen different chord shapes including Cmaj7, C9, D9, and Bm7, which means your left hand needs to be comfortable shifting between major, minor, and seventh voicings without hesitation.
The pedal bass pattern keeps your left hand anchored, so use that stability to focus on clean chord transitions up top.
Watch the moves between A major and the borrowed chords like Dm, Fm, and Fmaj7 — those chromatic shifts can catch you off guard if you're not anticipating them.
I'd suggest learning hands separately first, then loop any four-bar phrase where the harmony changes color unexpectedly.
Slow it down to around 55 BPM until each chord lands without fumbling, then build back up.
The most common stumble is rushing through the seventh chords instead of voicing every note clearly.
Stay patient with those shapes — this is the piece that will make extended jazz voicings feel natural under your fingers.
Try other practice modes:
About “The Hungry Years”
- Can I play "The Hungry Years" 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 Hungry Years" is playable in minutes, even for first-time players.
- What key is "The Hungry Years" by Neil Sedaka played in?
- The Hungry Years is arranged in the key of A on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "The Hungry Years"?
- The arrangement plays at 77 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "The Hungry Years" 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 Hungry Years"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "The Hungry Years"?
- "The Hungry Years" was originally performed by Neil Sedaka. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "The Hungry Years"?
- This arrangement uses 16 chords: A, Am, Bm7, C, C9, Cmaj7, D, D7, +8 more.
- What other songs by Neil Sedaka can I play here?
- Try "BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO", "BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO", "LAUGHTER IN THE RAIN". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Can a complete beginner play "The Hungry Years"?
- 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 Hungry Years" is perfect for first-time players.
- Do I need to read music to play "The Hungry Years"?
- 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 Hungry Years" in minutes, even if you've never touched a piano before.
More piano songs by Neil Sedaka
See all Neil Sedaka songs →More songs you might like
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET SIXTEEN
Neil Sedaka
CALENDAR GIRL
Neil Sedaka
BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO
Neil Sedaka
LAUGHTER IN THE RAIN
Neil Sedaka
BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO
Neil Sedaka
COME ON EILEEN
Dexy's Midnight Runners
DECEMBER 1963
Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
THANK U, NEXT
Ariana Grande
HEFFALUMPS AND WOOZLES
Sherman Brothers
SCOTCH AND SODA
The Kingston Trio
CHRISTMAS DAY
The Beach Boys
UPTOWN GIRL
Glee Cast