What key is "Waterloo" in?

"Waterloo" by ABBA is in the key of D with a tempo of 144 BPM. Difficulty: medium.

Is "Waterloo" 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 "Waterloo" 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 "Waterloo"?

This arrangement of "Waterloo" uses 8 chords: A, A7, Bm, C, D, E, E7, G.

How long does it take to learn "Waterloo" 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 ABBA can I play here?

Try "MONEY, MONEY, MONEY", "DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW", "THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.

Lyrics

My, my,

at Wa ter loo Na po le on did sur (A)ren der.

Oh yeah,

and I have met my des ti ny in quite a sim ’lar way.

The his to ry book on the shelf

is al ways re peat ing it self.

Wa ter loo, I was de feat ed, you won the war,

Wa ter loo, prom ise to love you for ev er more.

Wa ter loo, could n’t es cape if I want ed to,

Wa ter loo, know ing my fate is to be with you, Wa, Wa, Wa, Wa, Wa ter loo, fi nal ly fac ing my Wa ter loo.

My, my

I tried to hold you back but you were strong (A)ren er.

Oh yeah,

and now it seems my on ly chance is giv in’ up the fight.

And how could I ev er re fuse,

I feel like I win when I lose.

Wa ter loo, I was de feat ed, you won the war,

Wa ter loo, prom ise to love you for ev er more.

Wa ter loo, could n’t es cape if I want ed to,

Wa ter loo, know ing my fate is to be with you, Wa, Wa, Wa, Wa, Wa ter loo, fi nal ly fac ing my Wa ter loo.

My, my ter loo.

And how could I e ven re fuse,

I feel like I win when I lose.

Wa ter loo.

Wa, Wa, Wa, Wa, Wa ter loo, know ing my fate is to be with you, Wa, Wa, Wa, Wa, Wa ter loo, fi nal ly fac ing my Wa ter loo.

Waterloo by ABBA

7 people have learned this song

Easy piano arrangement in the key of D at 144 BPM. Difficulty: medium. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.

Teacher’s notes

This arrangement is a fantastic workout for keeping your left hand steady at tempo — that octave bass pattern needs to feel almost automatic, so start hands-separate and slower (try 100 BPM) until the jumps sit comfortably in your muscle memory.

At 144 BPM in the key of D, the energy is relentless, and your right hand will cycle through eight chords including a few surprises: watch the moments where you move to C and G, which step outside the key and can catch your fingers off-guard if you're on autopilot.

The E7-to-A7 transition is another spot worth looping — get that voice leading smooth before you speed up.

Pay attention to the driving, slightly syncopated pop-rock rhythm in the chorus; tapping it out on the lid first actually helps.

Once the left-hand octaves feel effortless, you'll notice your hand independence has genuinely leveled up — that's the real takeaway from this one.

About “Waterloo”

What key is "Waterloo" in?: "Waterloo" by ABBA is in the key of D with a tempo of 144 BPM. Difficulty: medium.
Is "Waterloo" 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 "Waterloo" 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 "Waterloo"?: This arrangement of "Waterloo" uses 8 chords: A, A7, Bm, C, D, E, E7, G.
How long does it take to learn "Waterloo" 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 ABBA can I play here?: Try "MONEY, MONEY, MONEY", "DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW", "THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.