When Doves Cry

by Prince
Loading song
Fetching song
1
—
How to Play This Song

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

Start the lesson
Personalize the finger hints for your handsPick your hand size and we'll re-suggest this song's fingering to fit you.Personalize
More ways to play

Other arrangements of When Doves Cry

Pick a learning view.

Lyrics

(Am)Dig, if u will, the pic ture

of u and I en gaged in a (E7)kiss.

The (Am)sweat of your bod y cov (G)ers me.

Can u, my dar ling, (E7)can u pic ture this?

(Am)Dream, if u can, a court yard, an o cean of vi ’lets in bloom.

(Am)An got i mals strike (G)cu ri ous pos es.

They feel the heat, the (E7)heat be tween me and (Am)How can u just leave me stand ing a lone in a world that’s so (E7)cold?

(Am)May be I’m just 2 de mand ing.

May be I’m just like my (E7)fa ther, 2 bold.

(Am)May be you’re just like my moth er.

She’s nev er sat is fied.

(Am)Why do we scream at each oth (G)er?

This is what it sounds like when doves cry.

(Am)Touch, if u will, my stom ach.

an Feel how it trem bles in side.

(Am)You’ve got the but ter (G)flies ri all pos up.

Don’t make me chase u.

(E7)E be ven doves have (Am)u.

can u just leave me stand ing

a lone in a world that’s so (E7)cold?

(Am)May be I’m just 2 de mand ing.

May be I’m just like my (E7)fa ther, 2 bold.

(Am)May be you’re just like my moth er.

She’s nev er sat is fied.

(Am)Why do we scream at each oth (G)er?

This is what it sounds like when doves cry.

when doves cry.

When Doves Cry — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along

5 people have learned this song

Free karaoke for "When Doves Cry" by Prince: lyrics on screen with the chords above each line and a bouncing ball that lands on every word in time. Sing along, or play along on guitar or piano from the chord chart. Change the key to fit your voice, slow the tempo down. Key of A, 150 BPM.

Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.

About “When Doves Cry”

What key is "When Doves Cry" by Prince played in?
When Doves Cry 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 "When Doves Cry"?
The arrangement plays at 150 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "When Doves Cry" easy to play on piano?
Yes — this is one of our beginner-friendly arrangements with simplified chords and color-coded notes.
Can I download sheet music for "When Doves Cry"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "When Doves Cry"?
"When Doves Cry" was originally performed by Prince. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What other songs by Prince can I play here?
Try "CALL MY NAME", "DARLING NIKKI", "NOTHING COMPARES 2 U". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Is there a karaoke version of "When Doves Cry" with lyrics?
Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "When Doves Cry" by Prince. The lyrics appear on screen a line at a time and each word lights up exactly when it's sung, with a bouncing ball leading you word to word. A backing plays underneath so you can just sing.
Does it show chords so I can play along on guitar or piano?
It does — a chord symbol sits on a thin row just above the lyric it changes on, so the same screen doubles as a lyrics-and-chords chart. Guitarists can strum the changes and pianists can comp while singing; the chords are colour-coded and move with the live transpose if you change key.
Can I change the key of "When Doves Cry" to match my voice or capo?
Yes. The original is in A, but the live transpose control shifts the whole song up or down semitones until the melody sits in your range (or maps to an easier guitar shape / capo position) — the on-screen chords and the backing move with it.
Can I slow "When Doves Cry" down to learn the words and chords?
Yes — the tempo control lets you take it as slow as you need while the lyrics still light up in time and the ball keeps you on the beat. Speed it back up once you can sing and play it through.