What key is "The Stranger" in?

"The Stranger" by Billy Joel is in the key of G with a tempo of 80 BPM. Difficulty: medium.

Is "The Stranger" easy to play on piano?

This arrangement is rated medium. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.

Can I play "The Stranger" without reading sheet music?

Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.

What chords are used in "The Stranger"?

This arrangement of "The Stranger" uses 22 chords: A, A6, Am, Am7, Am9, B, B7, Bbaug, +14 more.

How long does it take to learn "The Stranger" on piano?

2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.

What other songs by Billy Joel can I play here?

Try "SCENES FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT", "EVERYBODY HAS A DREAM", "CAPTAIN JACK". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.

Lyrics

Well we (Em)all

have a face

That we (Am)hide a way for (Em)ev er, And we (Am)take them out And (C)show our selves When (D)ev ’ry one has gone

Some are (Em)sat in some are steel

Some are (Am)silk and some are (Em)leath er, They’re the (Am)fac es of a (D)strang er (Em7)But we (Em)love to (Bm7)try them (Em)on.

Well we (Em)all

fall in love

But we (Am)dis re gard the (Em)dan ger, Though we (Am)share so man y (C7)se crets There are (D)some we nev er tell,

Why were (Em)you

so sur prised

That you (Am)nev er saw the (Em)strang er Did you (Am)ev er let your (D)lov er see the (Em)strang er (Bm)in your

self?

Don’t be a fraid to try a gain.

(D7)Ev ’ry one goes (Gmaj7)south

(Gm)ev ’ry now and (D)then.

(Am7)Ooh.

You’ve done it, (Gm)why can’t some one else?

(D7)You should know by (Bm7)now,

(Bb)you’ve been there your

self.

Once I (Em)used er to be lieve

I was (Am)such a great ro (Em)manc er, Then I (Am)came home to a (C7)wom an that I (D)could not rec og nize

When I (Em)pressed her for a rea son she re (Am)fused to e ven (Em)an swer, It was (Am)then I felt the (D)strang er (Em7)kick me (Em)right be (Bm7)tween the (Em)eyes.

Well we (Em)all

fall in love

But we (Am)dis re gard the (Em)dan ger, Though we (Am)share so man y (C7)se crets There are (D)some we nev er tell,

Why were (Em)you

so sur prised

That you (Am)nev er saw the (Em)strang er Did you (Am)ev er let your (D)lov er see the (Em)strang er (Bm)in your

self?

Don’t be a fraid to try a gain.

(D7)Ev ’ry one goes (Gmaj7)south

(Gm)ev ’ry now and (D)then.

(Am7)Ooh.

You’ve done it, (Gm)why can’t some one else?

(D7)You should know by (Bm7)now,

(Bb)you’ve been there your

self.

You may (Em)nev er un der stand

How the (Am)strang er is in (Em)spired er, But he (Am)is n’t al ways (C7)e vil And he (D)is n’t al ways wrong,

Though you (Em)drown in good in ten tions you will (Am)nev er quench the (Em)fire swer, You’ll give (Am)in to your de (D)sires er (Em7)When the (Em)strang er (Bm7)comes a (Em)long.

Well we

The Stranger by Billy Joel

1 person has learned this song

Easy piano arrangement in the key of G at 80 BPM. Difficulty: medium. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.

About “The Stranger”

What key is "The Stranger" in?: "The Stranger" by Billy Joel is in the key of G with a tempo of 80 BPM. Difficulty: medium.
Is "The Stranger" easy to play on piano?: This arrangement is rated medium. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.
Can I play "The Stranger" without reading sheet music?: Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.
What chords are used in "The Stranger"?: This arrangement of "The Stranger" uses 22 chords: A, A6, Am, Am7, Am9, B, B7, Bbaug, +14 more.
How long does it take to learn "The Stranger" on piano?: 2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.
What other songs by Billy Joel can I play here?: Try "SCENES FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT", "EVERYBODY HAS A DREAM", "CAPTAIN JACK". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.