When I Was Older

by Billie Eilish
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Lyrics

When I was old

er,

I was a sail

or

on an o pen sea.

But now I’m un der wa

ter

and my skin is pal

er

than it should ev er be.

Mm.

I’m on my back a gain,

dream ing of a time and place where you and I re main the best of friends.

E ven af ter all this ends,

can we pre tend?

I’m on my,

I’m on my back a gain.

It’s seem ing more and more like all we ev er do is see how far it bends be fore it breaks in half and then

we bend it back a gain.

(B)Guess I got caught in the mid dle of it.

Yes, I’ve been taught, got a lit tle of it in my blood,

in my blood.

(G)Mem o ries burn like a for est fire.

Heav y rain turns an y fu n’ral pyre to mud

in the flood.

When I was old

er,

I was a sail

or

on an o pen sea.

But now I’m un der wa

ter

and my skin is pal

er

than it should ev er be.

I’m watch ing mov ies back to back in black and white.

I nev er seen an y bod y do it like I do it an y bet ter.

Been go ing o ver you, I’m o ver due for new en deav ors.

No bod y lone ly like I’m lone ly and I don’t know wheth er you’d real ly like it in the lime light.

You’d sym pa thize with all the bad guys.

I’m still a vic tim in my own right,

but I’m the vil lain in my own eyes.

yeah.

When I was old

er,

I was a sail

or

on an o pen sea.

When I Was Older by Billie Eilish

4 people have learned this song

Easy piano arrangement in the key of B at 80 BPM. Difficulty: medium. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.

About “When I Was Older

What key is "When I Was Older" in?
"When I Was Older" by Billie Eilish is in the key of B with a tempo of 80 BPM. Difficulty: medium.
Is "When I Was Older" 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 "When I Was Older" 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.
How long does it take to learn "When I Was Older" 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 Billie Eilish can I play here?
Try "COPYCAT", "OCEAN EYES", "WISH YOU WERE GAY". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.

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