While You Were Sleeping

by Casting Crowns
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How to Play This Song

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

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Lyrics

Oh lit tle (Csus)town of Beth le hem,

looks like an (Bb)oth er si lent night.

A bove your deep and dream less sleep, a gi ant star lights up the sky.

And while you’re ly ing in the dark,

there (Bb)shines an ev er last ing light,

for the King has left His throne,

and is (Bb)sleep ing in a man ger to night,

to night.

Oh Beth le hem, what you have missed while you were sleep ing, for (F)God be came a man and (C)stepped in to your world to day.

Oh Beth le hem, you (C)will go down in his to ry

as a (F)cit y with no room (C)for its King.

While you were sleep ing.

While you were sleep ing.

Oh lit tle (Csus)town of Je (C)ru sa lem, looks like an (Bb)oth er si lent night.

The (F)Fa ther gave His on ly Son; the (Dm)Way, the Truth, the Life had come.

But there (F)was no room for Him

in the (Dm)world He came to save.

U nit ed (Csus)States of A (C)mer i ca, looks like an (Bb)oth er si lent night,

as we’re sung to sleep by phi (C)los o phies that save the trees and kill the chil dren.

And while we’re ly ing in the dark,

there’s a (Bb)shout heard ’cross the east ern sky,

for the Bride groom has re turned

and has (Bb)car ried His bride a way in the night,

in the night.

A mer ri ca, what will we miss while we are sleep ing?

Will (F)Je sus come a gain and (C)leave us slum b’ring where we lay?

A mer i ca, will (C)we go down in his to ry

as a (F)na tion with no room (C)for its King?

Will we be sleep ing?

Will we be sleep ing?

U nit ed (Csus)States of A (C)mer i ca, looks like an (Bb)oth er si lent night.

While You Were Sleeping — Classic Piano Sheet Music

4 people have learned this song

Read "While You Were Sleeping" by Casting Crowns in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of F. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 76 BPM.

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

About “While You Were Sleeping”

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "While You Were Sleeping"?
Yes — the score is rendered server-side from the publisher MusicXML using Verovio (the same engine RISM and OpenScore use). Standard piano notation, treble + bass staves, real chord symbols, key signature F. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
What key is "While You Were Sleeping" by Casting Crowns played in?
While You Were Sleeping is arranged in the key of F on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "While You Were Sleeping"?
The arrangement plays at 76 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "While You Were Sleeping" 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 "While You Were Sleeping"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "While You Were Sleeping"?
"While You Were Sleeping" was originally performed by Casting Crowns. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "While You Were Sleeping"?
This arrangement uses 7 chords: Bb, Bbsus2, C, Csus4, Dm, Dm7, F.
What other songs by Casting Crowns can I play here?
Try "Who Am I", "VOICE OF TRUTH", "WHAT IF HIS PEOPLE PRAYED". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Is this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
Yes — "While You Were Sleeping" is rendered at engraver quality (the Verovio engine, the same toolkit RISM and OpenScore editions use) from the original publisher MusicXML. You get standard piano notation: treble + bass clefs, key signature F, time signature, beams, dynamics — everything a printed sheet music book would have. Great for piano students learning to read music properly.
What's the difference between Sheet Music and the other modes here?
Sheet Music is the "classic" view — the one your piano teacher uses. Other modes (Beginner, Fall Down, Simple Sheet, Lead Sheet) trade real notation for color-coded notes and falling shapes to help absolute beginners. Use Sheet Music once you're ready to read both hands at once from real notation.
Can I practice from this view at my own pace?
Yes — slow the tempo from 76 BPM down (or up) without changing the pitch. The score scrolls in time and the currently playing note is highlighted, so you can drill a tough bar at half speed and bump it up once it feels comfortable.
Why can I click a note in the score?
Every notehead is interactive. Click and the audio jumps to that moment so you can drill a specific phrase or bar instead of replaying from the top. The currently playing note is highlighted as the music advances so your eye never loses its place.
Can I download the sheet music as a PDF?
Yes — Sheet Music PDF is one of the download formats for this song. The engraved score prints page-perfect on A4 / Letter so you can practice from paper as well as on screen.