A Puzzlement

by Rodgers & Hammerstein

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Lyrics

(D)When I was a boy, world was bet ter spot.

What was so was so, what was not was not.

(F)Now I am a man, world have changed a lot.

(CN.C.)Some things near ly so, oth ers near ly not.

There are (F)times I al most (F)think I am not (F)sure of what I (F)ab so lute ly (C7)know.

Ver y (F)of ten find con (F)fu sion in con (F)clu sion I con (F)clud ed long a (C7sus)go.

In my (F)head are man y facts that, as a (F7)stu dent, I have stud ied to pro (Bb)cure.

In my (F)head are man y facts, of which I wish I was more (Gm7)cer tain (C)I was (F6/9)sure.

(CN.C.)What, for (Dm)in stance, shall I (Dm)say to him of (B)wom en?

Shall I (Dm)ed u cate him (Dm)on the an cient (B7)lines?

Shall I (Em)tell the boy, as far as he is (Cmaj7)a ble,

to re (G)spect his wives and (Gm)love his con cu (A7)bines?

Shall I (Gm6)tell him ev ’ry one is like the oth er,

and the bet ter one of two is real ly (F)nei ther?

If I tell him this, I think he won’t be lieve it,

and I (Db7)near ly think I (C7)don’t be lieve it (F)ei ther!

When my (F)fa ther was a (F)king he was a (F)king who knew ex (F)act ly what he (C7)knew,

and his (F)brain was not a (F)thing for ev er (F)swing ing to and (F)fro and fro and (C7sus)to.

Shall I (F)then be like my fa ther and be (F7)will ful ly un mov a ble and (Bb)strong?

Or is (F)bet ter to be right?

Or am I right when I be (Gm7)lieve I (C)may be (F6/9)wrong?

(CN.C.)Shall I (Dm)join with oth er (Dm)na tions in al (B)li ance?

If al (Dm)lies are weak, am (Dm)I not best a (B7)lone?

If al (Em)lies are strong with pow er to pro (Cmaj7)tect me,

might they (G)not pro tect me (Gm)out of all I (A7)own?

Is a (Gm6)dan ger to be trust ing one an oth er.

One will sel dom want to do what oth er (F)wish es,

but un less some day, some bod y trust some bod y,

there’ll be (Db7)noth ing left on (C7)earth ex cept ing (F)fish es!

When my There are (Gm7)does not (C)know is (G6)so.

(Gsus2)Oh!

Some (D7sus)times I think that peo ple go ing (Gsus2)mad!

Ah!

Some (D7sus)times I think that peo ple not so (E)bad.

But, no (Bm)mat ter what I (Bm)think, I must (Bm)go on liv ing (Bm)life.

As a (Bm)lead er of my (Bm)king dom I must (Eb)go forth;

be fa ther to my chil dren, and hus band to each wife, et (G)cet er a, et cet er a, and so forth.

If my Lord in heav en, Bud dha, show the way,

ev ’ry day I try to live an oth er day.

If my Lord in heav en, Bud dha, show the way,

ev ’ry day I do my best for one more day.

But

is a puz zle ment!

A Puzzlement by Rodgers & Hammerstein — Easy Piano for Kids

This page shows “A Puzzlement by Rodgers & Hammerstein in our color-coded kid songbook view — every note is colored by pitch (red C, orange D, yellow E, green F, blue G, purple A, pink B) and the lyrics sit directly under each note, so children can sing along while they play. The song is in the key of D at 120 BPM, a comfortable easy-level arrangement perfect for first-time learners.

Tips for parents & teachers

  • Start at 50% tempo using the BPM control. Speed up only when your child can play through without stopping.
  • Turn on the metronome from the top bar to build steady rhythm.
  • Use the segmented OFF / C / 1 button to toggle note labels on the staff and keys — kids learn note names faster with letters showing.
  • Tap a measure number on the timeline to jump to a specific section for repeat practice.

Frequently asked questions

Is "A Puzzlement" good for a child learning piano?
Yes — this color-coded arrangement is designed for ages 4-12. Each note is colored by pitch so kids match colors to keys, no music reading required. Lyrics sit under every note for sing-along play.
What age can start with "A Puzzlement"?
Children as young as 4 can follow the color-coded notes. By age 6-7 most kids can play through the song themselves with light guidance. Parent help is recommended for the first few sessions.
Do we need a piano teacher to use this?
No — the color-coded format is designed to be self-explanatory. Parents with no music background can supervise. Teachers can also use it as an introductory lesson tool.
Can we print the sheet music?
Yes — tap "Download Sheet Music" above for a free printable PDF with the same color-coded notes that appear on screen.
What other Rodgers & Hammerstein songs work for kids?
Try "All At Once You Love Her", "An Ordinary Couple", "A Wonderful Guy". All play with color-coded notes; pick a familiar tune to keep kids engaged.