The Tracks Of My Tears

by Michael McDonald
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Learn a simple version, phrase by phrase: the melody, then easy chords.

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Lyrics

Peo (A7)ple say I’m the (C#7)life me of a par er ty (F#m11)’cause I tell (B7)a joke or two.

Al though

I (C#m7)may be laugh ing long a sub and heart y, by.

deep in (B7)side I’m blue.

You’ll take a (A)good

(D)look at my face.

You see my (A)smile

looks out of place.

(E7sus)If you look clos er

it’s eas y to (Bm7)trace

(E7sus)the tracks of my (Dm7)tears,

now ba (E7sus)by.

When (A7)you’re gone, if you (C#7)see me with an oth er girl, (F#m11)act ing like (B7)I’m hav ing fun,

al though

she (C#m7)may be cute, she’s just a sub sti tute, ba by.

You’re the (B7)per nent one.

You’ll take a (A)good

(D)look at my face.

You see my (A)smile

looks out of place.

(E7sus)If you look clos er

it’s eas y to (Bm7)trace

(E7sus)the tracks of my (Dm7)tears,

now ba (E7sus)by.

now ba (E7sus)by.

(Out (Bm9)side)

I’m mas quer ad ing.

(F#m7)(Out

(Bm9)side)

my (Bm9)hope is fad (A)ing.

(Out (Bm9)side)

(F#m7)since you (Bm9)put me (F#m7)down,

my (F#m7)smile is my make up I wear since my break up with (E7sus)you.

No,

ba by.

(Peo (D)ple say I’m the life of (E7sus)the par ty ’cause I tell (D)a joke or two.

Al though I (A)may be (D)laugh ing

loud and (E7sus)heart y,

deep in (G9)side I’m (Cmaj9)blue.)

(Since (D)you’re gone, if you see me with (E7sus)an oth er girl,

and act (D)ing like I’m hav ing (Bm7)fun,

al though she (A)may be (D)cute, she’s just a sub sti (E7sus)tute.

You’re (G9)the per ma nent (Cmaj9)one.)

(Peo (D)ple say I’m the life of (E7sus)the par ty ’cause I tell (D)a joke or two.

Al though I (A)may be (D)laugh ing

loud and (E7sus)heart y,

deep in (G9)side I’m (Cmaj9)blue.)

(Since (D)you’re gone, if you see me with (E7sus)an oth er girl,

and act (D)ing like I’m hav ing (Bm7)fun,

al though she (A)may be (D)cute, she’s just a sub sti (E7sus)tute.

You’re (G9)the per ma nent (Cmaj9)one.)

The Tracks Of My Tears — Classic Piano Sheet Music

3 people have learned this song

Read "The Tracks Of My Tears" by Michael McDonald in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of A. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 84 BPM.

Tip: Use the speed control to practice at 70% tempo first. Focus on tricky chord transitions before attempting the full arrangement.

About “The Tracks Of My Tears”

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "The Tracks Of My Tears"?
Yes — the score is rendered server-side from the publisher MusicXML using Verovio (the same engine RISM and OpenScore use). Standard piano notation, treble + bass staves, real chord symbols, key signature A. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
What key is "The Tracks Of My Tears" by Michael McDonald played in?
The Tracks Of My Tears 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 Tracks Of My Tears"?
The arrangement plays at 84 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "The Tracks Of My Tears" easy to play on piano?
This is a medium-difficulty arrangement. Most players can learn it within a few practice sessions using the speed control.
Can I download sheet music for "The Tracks Of My Tears"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "The Tracks Of My Tears"?
"The Tracks Of My Tears" was originally performed by Michael McDonald. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "The Tracks Of My Tears"?
This arrangement uses 19 chords: A, A7, B7, Bbm7, Bm7, Bm9, C#, C#7, +11 more.
What other songs by Michael McDonald can I play here?
Try "REFLECTIONS", "I BELIEVE", "FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Is this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
Yes — "The Tracks Of My Tears" is rendered at engraver quality (the Verovio engine, the same toolkit RISM and OpenScore editions use) from the original publisher MusicXML. You get standard piano notation: treble + bass clefs, key signature A, time signature, beams, dynamics — everything a printed sheet music book would have. Great for piano students learning to read music properly.
What's the difference between Sheet Music and the other modes here?
Sheet Music is the "classic" view — the one your piano teacher uses. Other modes (Beginner, Fall Down, Simple Sheet, Lead Sheet) trade real notation for color-coded notes and falling shapes to help absolute beginners. Use Sheet Music once you're ready to read both hands at once from real notation.
Can I practice from this view at my own pace?
Yes — slow the tempo from 84 BPM down (or up) without changing the pitch. The score scrolls in time and the currently playing note is highlighted, so you can drill a tough bar at half speed and bump it up once it feels comfortable.
Why can I click a note in the score?
Every notehead is interactive. Click and the audio jumps to that moment so you can drill a specific phrase or bar instead of replaying from the top. The currently playing note is highlighted as the music advances so your eye never loses its place.
Can I download the sheet music as a PDF?
Yes — Sheet Music PDF is one of the download formats for this song. The engraved score prints page-perfect on A4 / Letter so you can practice from paper as well as on screen.