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Holding Back the Years

Holding Back the Years Sheet Music

by The Cooltrane Quartet

Holding Back the Years was written by Mick Hucknall and Neil Moss, written chiefly by Mick Hucknall with a credit also given to Neil Moss and first released in 1985 on Simply Red’s debut album Picture Book. The soulful pop ballad was initially drafted when Hucknall was a teenager and reflects his difficult childhood and feelings about being raised by his father after his mother left. After a re‑release in 1986 it became Simply Red’s first US number‑one single and a major international hit, and it has since been widely covered, including in a jazz style by The Cooltrane Quartet.

Explore our 11 arrangements of Holding Back the Years Sheet Music by The Cooltrane Quartet for Piano, Bass, Drums, Trumpet, Singer. Compare 11 arrangements across Beginner - Advanced, preview each version and choose the score that best suits your instrument and playing level.

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All Holding Back the Years Sheet Music by The Cooltrane Quartet

Holding Back the Years Sheet Music for Piano

3 arrangements
Browse all Piano sheet music

Explore 3 Piano arrangements of Holding Back the Years, ranging from Easy to intermediate to Intermediate to advanced. 3 include fingering annotations. arrangements have right and left hands recorded separately, so you can practise one hand accompanied by the other.

Title Composer Difficulty Accompaniment

Holding Back the Years Sheet Music for Bass

2 arrangements
Browse all Bass sheet music

Explore 2 Bass arrangements of Holding Back the Years, ranging from Easy to Intermediate. 2 include fingering annotations. Orchestral arrangements include a high-quality recording of the Orchestra or the Band to play along with.

Title Composer Difficulty Accompaniment
The Cooltrane Quartet
Easy
Bass with Band accompaniment
The Cooltrane Quartet
Intermediate
Bass with Band accompaniment

Holding Back the Years Sheet Music for Drums

4 arrangements
Browse all Drums sheet music

Explore 4 Drums arrangements of Holding Back the Years, ranging from Beginner to Advanced. Orchestral arrangements include a high-quality recording of the Orchestra or the Band to play along with. An optional visual Drums under the score shows the right notes and fingerings in real time, to help you learn the piece.

Title Composer Difficulty Accompaniment
The Cooltrane Quartet
Beginner
Drums with orchestral accompaniment
The Cooltrane Quartet
Easy
Drums with orchestral accompaniment
The Cooltrane Quartet
Intermediate
Drums with orchestral accompaniment
The Cooltrane Quartet
Advanced
Drums with orchestral accompaniment

Holding Back the Years Sheet Music for Trumpet

1 arrangement
Browse all Trumpet sheet music

Explore the Trumpet arrangement of Holding Back the Years at Advanced level. Orchestral arrangements include a high-quality recording of the Orchestra or the Band to play along with. An optional visual Trumpet under the score shows the right notes and fingerings in real time, to help you learn the piece.

Title Composer Difficulty Accompaniment
The Cooltrane Quartet
Advanced
Trumpet with orchestral accomp.

Holding Back the Years Sheet Music for Singer

1 arrangement
Browse all Singer sheet music

Explore the Singer arrangement of Holding Back the Years at Intermediate level. Orchestral arrangements include a high-quality recording of the Orchestra or the Band to play along with. Includes the written arrangement at your level plus TomImprov mode, to improvise over the backing track.

Title Composer Difficulty Accompaniment
The Cooltrane Quartet
Intermediate
With orchestral accompaniment
  • Which instruments can I play Holding Back the Years on?

    You can play Holding Back the Years Sheet music on 5 instruments, including Piano, Bass, Drums, Trumpet, Singer.

  • How hard is Holding Back the Years to play?

    At Tomplay, we have adapted Holding Back the Years Sheet music in 6 levels, from Beginner to Advanced.

  • Can I play Holding Back the Years with an accompaniment track?

    Yes, Holding Back the Years Interactive Sheet Music on Tomplay includes a backing track for you to play along with. You can mute your instrument and play along as part of a duet, trio, or quartet, with an orchestra, or with a band.

  • What interactive features are available with Holding Back the Years sheet music on Tomplay?

    Tomplay’s Holding Back the Years Interactive Sheet Music includes a range of features to make learning and practising easier. You can adjust the tempo, loop difficult passages, add annotations, record yourself, use the Visual Guide, and benefit from real-time note recognition to get instant feedback as you play.

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