The Universal Soldier

by Buffy Sainte-Marie
🎹 Loading song
Preparing player…
1
Play in Kid Mode
YouTube → MIDI

Get the MIDI from any YouTube piano cover

Lyrics

He’s (F#)five foot two a Hin and he’s (G#m)six feet four, a Jain, he (F#)fights with and a mis siles and with (B)spears.

And He’s (E)all of thir ty (F#)one and he’s (B)on ly sev en (G#m)teen, he’s been a (E)sol dier for a thou sand (C#m7)years.

He’s a (F#)Cath o lic, a Hin du an (G#m)a the ist, a Jain, a (F#)Bud dhist and a Bap tist and a (B)Jew.

And he (E)knows he should n’t (F#)kill and he (B)knows he al ways (G#m)will, kill you for (E)me my friend and me or (C#m7)you.

And he’s (F#)fight ing for for Can a da, he’s (G#m)fight ing for for France, he’s (E)fight ing for the (F#)U.

S.

(B)A.

And he’s (E)fight ing for the (F#)Rus sians and he’s (B)fight ing for Ja (G#m)pan, and he (E)thinks we’ll put an end to war this (C#m7)way.

And he’s (F#)fight ing for de moc ra cy, he’s (G#m)fight ing for the Reds, he (E)says it’s for the (F#)peace of (B)all.

He’s the (E)one who must de (F#)cide sians who’s to (B)live and who’s to (G#m)die, and he (E)nev er sees the writ ing on the (C#m7)wall.

But with (E)out him, how would (F#)Hit ler have con (B)demned him at Lie (G#m)bau?

With (E)out him, Cae sar (F#)would have stood a (B)lone.

He’s the (E)one who gives his (F#)bod y as a (B)weap on of the (G#m)war, and with (E)out him all this kill ing can’t go (C#m7)on.

He’s the (E)u ni ver sal (F#)sol dier and he (B)real ly is to (G#m)blame, his (E)or ders come from (F#)far a way no (B)more.

They come from (E)him and you and (F#)me, and, (B)broth ers, can’t you (G#m)see?

This is (E)not the way we put the end to (C#m)war.

The Universal Soldier — Falling Notes Piano Tutorial

Watch "The Universal Soldier" by Buffy Sainte-Marie in falling notes style — like Synthesia. Color-coded notes fall onto the keyboard in real time. Practice left hand, right hand, or both. Key of B, 105 BPM.

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

About “The Universal Soldier

What key is "The Universal Soldier" by Buffy Sainte-Marie played in?
The Universal Soldier is arranged in the key of B on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "The Universal Soldier"?
The arrangement plays at 105 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "The Universal Soldier" 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 Universal Soldier"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "The Universal Soldier"?
"The Universal Soldier" was originally performed by Buffy Sainte-Marie. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "The Universal Soldier"?
This arrangement uses 6 chords: B, C#m, C#m7, E, F#, G#m.
What other songs by Buffy Sainte-Marie can I play here?
Try "UNTIL IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO GO", "Until It's Time For You To Go". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.

More songs you might like