The Hearse Song is the classic campfire creepy song – the worms crawl in, the worms crawl out – and you can learn it with the interactive player below: play it at half speed, watch the notes and keys light up, and drag the score to any phrase. Sheet music, fingering, and a free printable PDF follow.
Learn it with the interactive player
- Slow it down: x0.5 or x0.75 while you learn the notes, back to x1 once they flow.
- Pause anywhere: the current keys stay lit so you can find them on your own piano.
- Drag the score left or right, or use the 15s buttons, to replay a phrase.
The sheet music, section by section
Learn Section A with the player set to x0.5: the verse climbs A4-C5-E5-E5, answers with E5-D5-C5-B4, and lands back on A4 - one five-finger position, quarter notes all the way.
Section B repeats the verse a shade louder, then whispers the last line down to a quiet ending on A4. Play the repeat with a grin - this song is meant to be a little theatrical.
The full score
At the Allegretto target of 100 BPM the full song bounces along cheerfully; build up to it from a slow, even tempo and keep the walking bass steady.
Note by note: keys and fingering
- Right hand: One position from A4 to E5 for the whole song: thumb (1) on A4, then B4 (2), C5 (3), D5 (4), E5 (5). The verse climbs A4-C5-E5-E5, then walks back down E5-D5-C5-B4.
- Left hand: Walking half notes on just three keys: pinky (5) on A2, thumb (1) on E3, with index (2) on D3 once per verse.
| Note | On the Staff | On the Keyboard | Finger |
|---|---|---|---|
| A4 | Second space of treble staff | White key between the last two of three black keys | RH Thumb (1) |
| B4 | Third line of treble staff | White key right of the three black keys | RH Index (2) |
| C5 | Third space of treble staff | White key left of the two black keys above middle C | RH Middle (3) |
| D5 | Fourth line of treble staff | White key between the two black keys above C5 | RH Ring (4) |
| E5 | Fourth space of treble staff | White key right of the two black keys above C5 | RH Pinky (5) |
| A2 | First space of bass staff | White key between the last two of three black keys, two octaves down | LH Pinky (5) |
| D3 | Middle line of bass staff | White key between the two black keys below middle C | LH Index (2) |
| E3 | Third space of bass staff | White key right of the two black keys below middle C | LH Thumb (1) |
Prefer a video? Watch the keys light up
Same color code as the player: green marks the right hand, blue the left hand, with the score and keyboard in one vertical video.
The story behind The Hearse Song
The Hearse Song is an American folk song that soldiers sang during World War I, around 1918, though verses about worms and coffins circulated even earlier in British schoolyards. Nobody knows who wrote it; it spread the way playground songs do, mutating from camp to camp until the version about the hearse rolling by became standard. It has since appeared in novels, cartoons, and horror games, always with the same gleeful morbid humor. The melody is a compact minor-key verse, which is why this A minor arrangement fits entirely inside one five-finger position for beginners.
Get the printable PDF
The printable PDF of The Hearse Song - full score, hand positions, and a step-by-step practice guide - ships inside our free Halloween pack together with fourteen other spooky pieces.
Between verses about coffins you will still want decent posture, and an Adjustable Piano Bench with Back Support sets the right height for relaxed, bouncy playing.
FAQ
How hard is The Hearse Song on piano?
It is an easy beginner piece from Level 1 of our Halloween collection. The right hand keeps one five-finger position from A4 to E5, the rhythm is plain quarter and half notes, and the left hand walks between A2, D3, and E3. The only challenge is keeping the 100 BPM bounce steady.
How long does it take to learn The Hearse Song?
With short daily sessions, most beginners play it hands together within a week. The two halves of the song are nearly identical, so once the first eight measures work, the rest is repetition with different dynamics.
What level is The Hearse Song?
We rank it Level 1 of our Halloween collection. It is a single-position piece in A minor with no accidentals and a simple walking bass, ideal right after your very first melodies.
What are the notes for The Hearse Song?
The verse starts A4, C5, E5, E5, then descends E5, D5, C5, B4, and each phrase settles on A4. The left hand alternates half notes on A2 and E3, with one D3 in the sixth measure. The complete note-by-note table is above.