Slow down,
you (Bb)cra zy child,
you’re (F)so am bi tious for a ju ve nile.
But then if (Eb)you’re so smart, tell me (Bb)why are you still so a fraid
Mm hm.
Where’s the fire, what’s the (Bb)hur ry a bout?
You bet ter cool it off be fore you (Ab)burn it out.
You got (Eb)so much to do and on ly (Bb)so man y hours in a day.
Hey
But you know that when the (F)truth is told, that you can (Bb)get what you want or you can (Gm)just get old.
You’re gon na kick off be fore you (Am7)e ven get half way (Gm7)through,
oo.
When will you (Gb7)re al ize
Vi en na waits for (Bb)you?
Slow down,
you’re (Bb)do in’ fine, you can’t be (F)ev ’ry thing you want to be be (Ab)fore your time.
Al though it’s (Eb)so ro man tic on the bor der line to night,
to night.
Too bad, but it’s the (Bb)life you lead, you’re so a (F)head of your self that you for (Ab)got what you need.
Though you can (Eb)see when you’re wrong, you know you (Bb)can’t al ways see when you’re right,
you’re right.
You got your pas sion, you (F)got your pride,
but (Bb)don’t you know that (F)on ly fools are (Gm)sat is fied?
Dream on, but don’t i (Am7)mag ine they’ll all come (Gm7)true
Oo.
When will you (Gb7)re al ize
Vi en na waits
for you?
And Slow down, that you the (F)cra zy child, and take the (F)get what you want hook and dis ap (Gm)just get a old.
You’re gon na It’s al right, you can af (Am7)ford to lose a (D7)day or (Gm7)two.
Oo.
Why When don’t you will you (Gb7)re al ize
Vi en na waits
for you?
And you know that you the (F)truth is told, that you can (F)get what you want hook or you can (Gm)just get a old.
You’re gon na It’s kick off be fore you (Am7)e ven get a (D7)half way (Gm7)through.
Oo.
Why When don’t you will you (Gb7)re al ize
Vi en na waits
for you?
for you?
When will you (C9sus)re al ize
Vi en na waits
for you?
Vienna by Billy Joel
22 people have learned this song
Easy piano arrangement in the key of Eb at 85 BPM. Difficulty: easy. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.
This arrangement sits in E♭ at a gentle 85 BPM, so you have room to breathe — use that space to focus on clean chord changes rather than rushing.
Your left hand plays block chords, which keeps things straightforward, but watch the chromatic shifts between chords like G7, G♭7, and F7 — those half-step bass movements need to be smooth and deliberate, so drill that sequence hands-separate until your fingers know the geography.
The trickiest transitions involve the less common shapes like C9 and Am7 sneaking into an E♭ context; isolate any bar where you hesitate and loop it at half tempo before speeding up.
Use sustain pedal to connect the ballad feel, but change it with each new chord so you don't muddy those rich harmonics.
Your right hand melody is lyrical and mostly stepwise, so aim for an even, singing tone — let the notes sustain into each other naturally.
This is really the song that will build your confidence moving through chromatic chord progressions without panicking, a skill that pays off in practically everything you play next.
About “Vienna”
- What key is "Vienna" in?
- "Vienna" by Billy Joel is in the key of Eb with a tempo of 85 BPM. Difficulty: easy.
- Is "Vienna" easy to play on piano?
- Yes — this arrangement is rated easy, meaning it uses simple chord patterns and a manageable tempo. Most beginners can play through it in 1-3 practice sessions using our color-coded notes.
- Can I play "Vienna" 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 "Vienna"?
- This arrangement of "Vienna" uses 15 chords: Ab, Am7, Bb, C, C7, C9, D, D7, +7 more.
- How long does it take to learn "Vienna" on piano?
- 1–3 short practice sessions for the basics; 2–3 weeks to perform confidently with both hands.
- 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.
More piano songs by Billy Joel
See all Billy Joel songs →More songs you might like
JAMES
Billy Joel
ALLENTOWN
Billy Joel
MIAMI 2017
Billy Joel
HONESTY
Billy Joel
KEEPING THE FAITH
Billy Joel
TELL HER ABOUT IT
Billy Joel
SEEING BLIND
Niall Horan
YOU'RE MY HOME
Billy Joel
JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
Billy Joel
SAY SOMETHING
Justin Timberlake
LULLABYE
Billy Joel
IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR
Frank Sinatra