Mar182021

The Coral – Bill Mccai Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

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[Intro]
Em

[Verse 1]
Em
His family taught him right from wrong
Em
With local tales and children's songs
Am
Sunday school was his shelter
D
With his friends Joe and Walter
Em
Now those days seem far away
Em
An empty swing where he once played
Am
Now Bill's grown so fat and bald
D
He never thought that he'd grow old

[Chorus]
G                    C        D
And everyday when he gets the train
G                        C         D
Looks out the window and thinks in vain
C*         D*           Em*
If I could only be that boy again

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[Verse 2]
Em
His sales job it gets him down
Em
Same old faces same old sounds
Am
Heart attacks, orthopaedic backs
D
Documents in labelled racks
Em
His wife can't stand the sight of him
Em
With his routine glass of gin
Am
She makes his lunch of processed ham
D
And waits in for the meter man

[Chorus]
G                    C        D
And everyday when he gets the train
G
Looks out the window and
C         D
thinks in vain
C*         D*           Em*
If I could only be that boy again

[Solo]
   Am C     D       Em*
If he could be that boy again

Feel free to use our free Chord Shape Generator to see every chord in this song on guitar, ukulele and piano.

[Verse 3]
Em
Another day another gin
Em
His kids don't even notice him
Am
Something different about his face
D
His happy smile seems out of place
Em
His family gathered round for tea
Em
Eyes fixed on their new telly
Am
Newsflash came, then it said
D
Bill McCai was just found dead

[Outro]
G                C      D
No more windows, no more trains
G                C      D
Hung himself out in the rain
C*        D*            Em*
Now he'll never be that boy again
N.C.
And we say
Am  C   D    Em
bye-bye Bill McCai
Am  C   D    Em
bye-bye Bill McCai
Am  C   D    Em
bye-bye Bill McCai

How to play Bill Mccai: key, chords and progression

These are the chords for Bill Mccai by The Coral on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard

To play Bill Mccai by The Coral, think in E minor (one sharp: F♯). It takes 5 chords: Em, Am, D, G and C.

The backbone of the song is D – G – C – D (VII – III – VI – VII in E minor). Practise these 4 changes until they feel natural and you can play most of it.

Beginner-friendly: every chord here is an open shape on guitar: no capo, no barre chords needed.