The Bare Necessities

by Terry Gilkyson
Loading song
Fetching song
1
—
Download Sheet & MIDIPlay on Guitar
Looking to play this yourself? Try the standard piano arrangement of “The Bare Necessities”
Two-handed piano arrangement — color-coded notes, lead sheet, sheet music. Learn it yourself.

Other arrangements of The Bare Necessities

Pick a learning view or switch to the backing-track version.

Lyrics

Look for the bare ne ces si ties, the (Bb)sim ple (Bbmaj7)bare ne (Bb7)ces si ties; for (F)get a bout your (D7)wor ries and your (G7)strife.

I (C7aug)mean the bare ne (F7)ces si ties, or (Bb)Moth er Na ture’s (Bb7)re ci pes that (F)bring the (D7)bare ne (G7)ces si ties of (F)life.

(CN.C.)Wher ev er I (C7)wan der, wher ev er I (F)roam,

I could n’t be (C7)fond er of my big (F)home.

The bees are (Bb)buzz in’ in the (Bbm)tree to make some (F)ho ney just for (G7)me.

(Dm7)You look un der the (D7)rocks and plants and (Gm)take a glance (D7)at the (Gm)fan (G7)cy (C)ants, (C7)then (F)may be try a (D7)few.

The bare ne (Gm7)ces si ties of (C7)life will come to (F)you,

they’ll (C7)come to (F)you!

Look for the

you

that’s (Bb)why a bear can (Bb7)rest at ease with (F)jus

o

(CN.C.)When you pick a (C7)paw paw or pric kl y (F)pear,

and you prick a (C7)raw paw next time be (F)ware.

Don’t pick the (Bb)prick ly pear by (Bbm)paw, when you pick a (F)pear, try to use the (G7)claw.

(Dm7)you don’t need to (D7)use the claw when you (Gm)pick pear (D7)of (Gm)big (G7)paw (C)paw, (C7)have I (F)giv en you (D7)clue?

The bare ne (Gm7)ces si ties of (C7)life will come to (F)you,

they’ll (C7)come to (F)you!

Look for the (F)you!

The Bare Necessities — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along

23 people have learned this song

Free karaoke for "The Bare Necessities" by Terry Gilkyson: lyrics on screen with the chords above each line and a bouncing ball that lands on every word in time. Sing along, or play along on guitar or piano from the chord chart. Change the key to fit your voice, slow the tempo down. Key of Bb, 160 BPM.

Tip: Press play and sing the melody on top of the piano. If the original key (Bb) sits too high or low for your voice, use the transpose control to shift the accompaniment into a comfortable range — the backing moves with you. Need a pitch reference? Tap the mic icon to bring the vocal melody in.

Try other practice modes:

About “The Bare Necessities”

Can I sing "The Bare Necessities" karaoke-style with the lyrics on screen?
Yes — Karaoke mode puts the lyrics of "The Bare Necessities" on screen a line at a time and lights up each word in time, with a bouncing ball leading you word to word and the chord shown just above. The piano backing plays underneath in Bb, and you can transpose it to fit your voice.
What key is the piano accompaniment for "The Bare Necessities" by Terry Gilkyson in?
The backing track is in Bb at 160 BPM. If that doesn't sit in your vocal range, use the live transpose control to shift up or down semitones — the accompaniment moves with the new key automatically.
Can I sing over "The Bare Necessities" with this accompaniment?
Yes — that's exactly what it's built for. The vocal melody is muted by default so you can sing freely. Need a pitch reference? Tap the mic icon to bring the melody back in at a lower volume.
Is this a karaoke version of "The Bare Necessities"?
Effectively yes — it's the piano-only backing for "The Bare Necessities", with no vocals. You can also slow it down to practice tricky verses, then bring it back to full tempo.
Can I use "The Bare Necessities" as a backing track for my instrument?
Absolutely. Singers, guitarists, violinists, wind players, and instrumental practice in general all work — the piano holds the harmony so you can carry the melody on whatever instrument you play.
Can I download the accompaniment for "The Bare Necessities"?
Yes — registered users can download MIDI + MusicXML (open in any notation software). PDF sheet music is also available for the full arrangement.
Who wrote "The Bare Necessities"?
"The Bare Necessities" was originally performed by Terry Gilkyson. This piano accompaniment is an arrangement of that song, designed for sing-along and play-along use.
Is there a karaoke version of "The Bare Necessities" with lyrics?
Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "The Bare Necessities" by Terry Gilkyson. The lyrics appear on screen a line at a time and each word lights up exactly when it's sung, with a bouncing ball leading you word to word. A backing plays underneath so you can just sing.
Does it show chords so I can play along on guitar or piano?
It does — a chord symbol sits on a thin row just above the lyric it changes on, so the same screen doubles as a lyrics-and-chords chart. Guitarists can strum the changes and pianists can comp while singing; the chords are colour-coded and move with the live transpose if you change key.
Can I change the key of "The Bare Necessities" to match my voice or capo?
Yes. The original is in Bb, but the live transpose control shifts the whole song up or down semitones until the melody sits in your range (or maps to an easier guitar shape / capo position) — the on-screen chords and the backing move with it.
Can I slow "The Bare Necessities" down to learn the words and chords?
Yes — the tempo control lets you take it as slow as you need while the lyrics still light up in time and the ball keeps you on the beat. Speed it back up once you can sing and play it through.

More songs you might like

The Bare Necessities, Terry Gilkyson
Bb

The Bare Necessities

Terry Gilkyson

Easy160 BPM
A Jazzy Beat, Randall Hartsell
Bb

A Jazzy Beat

Randall Hartsell

Advanced184 BPM
The Bare Necessities, Terry Gilkyson
Bb

The Bare Necessities

Terry Gilkyson

Very Easy140 BPM
The Pajama Rag, Jennifer Watts
D

The Pajama Rag

Jennifer Watts

Advanced168 BPM
The Bare Necessities, Terry Gilkyson
Bb

The Bare Necessities

Terry Gilkyson

Easy168 BPM
The Bare Necessities, Terry Gilkyson
Bb

The Bare Necessities

Terry Gilkyson

Easy200 BPM
Golden Brown, The Stranglers
Db

Golden Brown

The Stranglers

Medium94 BPM
Video Game Fever, Deborah Ellis Suarez
Bb

Video Game Fever

Deborah Ellis Suarez

Advanced160 BPM
Whirling Shadows, Wendy Stevens
G

Whirling Shadows

Wendy Stevens

Advanced152 BPM
We Are The Sons Of The Desert, T. Marvin Hatley
Db

We Are The Sons Of The Desert

T. Marvin Hatley

Medium126 BPM
New Orleans Jamboree, Bill Boyd
C

New Orleans Jamboree

Bill Boyd

Advanced160 BPM
Wake Up Boo!, The Boo Radleys
D

Wake Up Boo!

The Boo Radleys

Medium144 BPM